ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which emerged as the largest party in the Senate, has decided to back Raza Rabbani as Senate chairman if Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) continues with him as its candidate.
The ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif presided over a meeting of party’s allies to discuss multiple names under consideration for the seat of Senate chairman and deputy chairman. The session was attended by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, National Party chief Mir Hasil Bizenjo and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman.
According to reports, all the allies were agreed with Nawaz’s suggestion of supporting Raza Rabbani as the candidate for Senate chairmanship. However, it was also decided in the meeting that Party would contest any other candidate in case Rabbani is not nominated for the position.
After the meeting, Bizenjo told the media that decision to nominate candidates for the positions of chairman and deputy chairman would be finalised within two days.
On the other hand, there were reports that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had decided not to support any of the two largest parties (PML-N, PPP) in Senate for the selection of chairman or deputy chairman.
On March 3 Senate elections, PML-N backed candidates succeeded in bagging 15 seats while PTI and PPP emerge victorious on 12 and 6 seats respectively.