Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwala in hot waters
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ISLAMABAD -Senators of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) along with their allies submitted a no-confidence resolution in the Senate secretariat against Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla.
PTI Senator Shibli Faraz told reporters that the resolution, submitted on Friday, is backed by at least 26 senators, which demanded Mandviwalla’s removal.
The development comes days after senators of the opposition parties submitted a no-trust resolution against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani; PTI’s move is seen as a tit for tat response as Mandviwalla is backed by Pakistan Peoples Party.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak Friday said that following the opposition’s step to remove Sanjrani, members of government had a meeting with the prime minister.
“Our stance is that when they did not honour our votes [cast in favour of Sanjrani] and withdrew their support for the Senate chairman, we will withdraw our support for the deputy chairman,” he explained.
Khattak said that Sanjrani had steered the Upper House of the parliament with dignity for the past one and a half year and there was no reason to remove him.
The minister also denied allegations of horse trading and affirmed that 15-20 members in the Senate are completely independent.
Responding to the no-confidence resolution against him, Senate Deputy Chairman Mandviwalla said if members of the Senate think he should not remain in office, then he will step down happily.
He cited some senators as saying that they were “told to sign the resolution” declaring the move as a strange tradition that is not good for the Senate.
Let it be known that the coalesced opposition has also agreed on the name of Hasil Bazinjo to be the next Chairman Senate, however, a sitting Chairman is to be removed first for which voting is poised to take place in few days subject to rules.
