Govt candidates bag chairman, deputy chairman slots in hotly-contested senate campaign
After a senate campaign that saw a good share of controversy, both government-backed candidates Sadiq Sanjrani and Mirza Muhammad Afridi won to clinch the posts of chairman and deputy chairman.
Chairman election
As balloting for the chairman election began, JUI-F's Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri cast the primary vote, with a complete of 98 votes cast.
Sanjrani obtained 48 votes, whereas Gillani received 42 — a difference of six votes.
Seven votes were rejected for bearing a stamp on Gillani's name and one for having a stamp on both candidates' names, rather than the box allotted next to the names.
The leader , Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, administered the oath of chairman to Sanjrani.
The Opposition's Qasim Gillani, the son of the candidate who lost, said that the rejection of votes are going to be challenged within the election tribunal.
Deputy chairman election
The deputy chairman election, on the opposite hand, went off without a hitch, with none votes being rejected.
PTI's Mirza Muhammad Afridi defeated the joint opposition’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri after receiving 54 votes, with the latter getting 44, a difference of 10 votes.
Surprise result?
In terms of numerical strength, the opposition had a transparent edge with 52 members, including one belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami on its side over the ruling coalition’s 47 members.
However, with the election for the 2 key slots through vote , surprise results were already anticipated.
In an earlier surprise, Gillani defeated the govt candidate Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh within the March 3 Senate elections.
The "spy camera" controversy
Most of the polling day was occupied with the controversy surrounding "spy cameras" installed inside the Senate booth .
The Opposition had claimed that "spy cameras" are installed within the polling booths set for senators to cast their votes. Photos of the "hidden cameras" were shared by PPP's Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and PML-N's Dr Musadik Malik on their Twitter accounts.
PML-N's Malik had even recorded a video showing the "spying devices" which were allegedly installed to watch the Senate chairman and deputy chairman election within the Upper House.
After an extended battle of words between leaders from the Opposition and therefore the government, the Senate secretary had announced that the booth are going to be changed.
PM Imran Khan watching election from PM House
Prime Minister Imran Khan is watching the Senate battle from the PM House, Geo News reported.
Sources said the premier will visit Sohawa after the Senate elects its new chairman and deputy chairman.
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