Sadiq Sanjrani — a brief profile

Sadiq Sanjrani holds two unique distinctions of being the youngest, 39, Chairman of the Senate and the first one to be elected to the position from Balochistan.

Born on April 14, 1978, in Nokkundi, Balochistan, Sanjrani took oath as Chairman of the Upper House on 12th March 2018, by securing 57 votes.

Previously, he has held the position of coordinator of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's team in 1998-99 and worked for the Grievance Cell at the Prime Minister's Secretariat during Yousaf Raza Gilani's tenure in 2008-13.

The first Senate chairman from Balochistan holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and bears a dynamic persona that infuses professional acumen with a humanitarian verve, according to the Senate website.

In addition to holding the highest political portfolio in Senate, he also chaired the Senate Finance Committee, Business Advisory Committee, and the Committee for Promotion and Development of Football in the Country.

Throughout his professional life, Sanjrani has remained a member of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ex-Director of the Board of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hospital, Quetta, and the founder-president Society for the Services of Humanity (SFSH), Islamabad, among other engagements.

In 2018, Sanjarani survived a no-confidence motion by the Opposition — that came as a surprise victory for the PTI-led government and its coalition partners.

The Opposition had passed the no-confidence resolution by 64 votes, however, despite needing only 53 of the 64 senators to send Sanjarni packing, the Opposition fell three votes short.

This was for the first time in the history of Pakistan when a no-confidence motion had been submitted against the Senate chairperson, demanding his resignation from his post.