PPP claims support of eight FATA senators for chairman slot

LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claims to have the support of eight senators from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) for the coveted slot of chairman and deputy chairman of the Upper House of Parliament. 

The development came on Tuesday following a meeting between PPP leaders Dr Qayyum Soomro and Senator Saleem Mandviwala and the independent FATA senators. 

According to sources, the FATA senators demanded support from the PPP regarding the rights of tribal areas in return for support for the Senate chairman and deputy chairman positions.

One of the four senators who were elected on Saturday, Mirza Afridi, reportedly joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)on Monday. 

Independent FATA Senator Mirza Afridi joins PML-N

PML-N has emerged as the single largest party in Senate after candidates backed by it gained most seats in Saturday's Senate elections

In the Senate polls on Saturday, PML-N-backed independent candidates emerged as the largest party in the Upper House of Parliament.

The party bagged a total of 15 Senate seats across the country, according to unofficial and unverified results, taking its total strength in the 104-member Senate to 33. 

Despite the PPP's decline in Senate to a total of 21 seats, the party is aiming to take the slots of chairman and deputy chairman with the help of allies and independents. 

Senate chairman to be from PPP: Khosa 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, PPP leader Sardar Latif Khosa said that the upcoming Senate chairman will be from PPP, while the party will give the deputy chairman position to an allied party.

He claimed the PML-N lost in the Senate elections in Balochistan because of bad governance. 

He asked if Imran Khan’s ‘change’ is getting married every year, saying he is a bubble that has dissipated.