Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani survives no-confidence vote

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has survived a motion of no-confidence moved by the opposition in a shock victory for the government and its allied parties, on Thursday.

50 votes were received in favour of the no-confidence motion, three short of the number required to remove the chairman. 5 votes cast were rejected and 9 members defected. Thus the resolution against Sadiq Sanjrani was not adopted.

Voting took place through a secret ballot with a total of 53 votes required to remove the chairman.

Though, at the start of the session, 64 senators had stood up in support of the motion to table the no-confidence resolution.

This is the first time in the history of Pakistan that the upper house of parliament has tabled no-confidence motions against its chairman and deputy chairman.

The motion against Sanjrani was submitted by opposition members last month. Opposition parties had nominated Hasil Bizenjo as their candidate for the post of Senate chairman.

Following the vote on Sanjrani’s no-confidence resolution, a similar resolution was tabled for the removal of Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla by the government.

34 members stoop up in favour of the resolution.