Senate opposition leader Yousaf Raza Gillani resigns from his post over severe accusations
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ISLAMABAD: Senate Opposition Leader Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said that he has sent his resignation from the post as he is being wrongly accused of helping the government in passing the State Bank Amendment Act 2021.
The Senate on Friday passed the State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill with a majority of only one vote. The bill presented by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin faced stiff resistance from the members belonging to the opposition benches. But amid the ruckus, the amendment bill was passed with 44 members in favor and 43 against.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, earlier, in his media talk appreciated the role of the former prime minister in helping the government pass the bill from the house where the treasury benches lacked a majority.
The former prime minister said that the state bank bill was not referred to any Senate committee. “I believe that the role of Chairman and Speaker of the National Assembly is the custodian of the house, not the government,” he said. “You (Senate Chairman) facilitated the government, not opposition by adjourning the session.”
It has been the first time in the history of Pakistan that a Senate Chairman had to vote after a tie, as a custodian of the house you should have protected the rights of both sides of the aisles, he said.
Senator Gilani said that he is not astonished by the harsh words of his opponents but by the silence of his well-wishers. “The ministers who are turned coats when they say I helped the government. The credit should be given to you (Senate Chairman) not me,” he said. “This is rigging. It should not happen.”
