Certain forces superior to Parliament, laments Hasil Bizenjo

ISLAMABAD: National Party (NP) Chief Hasil Bizenjo on Monday commenting on the election of top Senate slots lamented that the parliament has been defeated today.

“The parliament has been completely defeated. It has been proved today that some forces are more supreme than the parliament,” he said in his speech after the election of the new chairman and deputy chairman of the house.

Slamming the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which was backing new Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, the NP chief said it is not the party or Benazir Bhutto or Zulfikar Bhutto who won today.

“Those supreme forces have won and have shown that they can turn the parliament into a market,” he said.

“Today, I am ashamed to sit here,” he added.

Bizenjo’s charged speech was interrupted by Sanjrani, who asked him to reserve the day for congratulating the members.

“Congratulations for what? Today the house’s face has been blackened,” Bizenjo said, adding that if he does not make a speech today, he won’t be able to for the rest of his life.

He also blasted the opposition for terming the chairman’s election as a victory from Balochistan, saying the parties turned Balochistan assembly into a “market”.

“After the building has been collapsed, it is being said we have done it for Balochistan. Is this what you’ve done for Balochistan? You did the same with KP,” he said.

Prior to him, former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani took the floor and said that he will continue to fight for the supremacy of the parliament on the floor and outside the house if need be.

Congratulating Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandiwalla and Sanjrani on their election, Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Sirajul Haq said the Senate polls were a step towards promoting democracy because people feared the election would not take place at all.

“Who gave you a vote or who didn’t [does not matter now, as] democracy demands accepting defeat and others’ victory even if it is by one vote,” Siraj said.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lost the race to appoint their favoured candidates to the top Senate slots as Sadiq Sanjrani, an opposition-backed candidate from Balochistan, was appointed Senate chairman on Monday.

Sanjrani secured 57 votes out of possible 103 votes and was administered oath by presiding officer Sardar Yaqub Khan.

Sanjrani, an independent, had been backed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

According to reports, Sanjrani also had the support of independent senators elected from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)