The JUI-F finally succeeded in clinching top opposition slot in the Senate despite stiff resistance by rival PML-N as Senate Chairman Farooq Naek on Tuesday once again declared Abdul Ghafoor Haideri as leader of opposition.
Following resignation of Wasim Sajjad, the Senate Chairman had nominated Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), as leader of opposition in Senate, which was resisted tooth and nail by PML-N senators. The PML-N members had boycotted Senate session last month, pressuring the Chairman to withdraw the notification pertaining to Haideri's nomination, which compelled him [Naek] to hold a week-long debate on the issue to resolve it amicably.
However, the Chairman stuck to his earlier ruling, declaring Abdul Ghafoor Haideri as opposition leader in the upper house of parliament, turning down the candidature of PML-N member Ishaq Dar, who had been lobbying restlessly for this purpose with the help of some dissident PML-Q senators.
In his 40-page detailed ruling, the Senate Chairman maintained that Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of JUI-F should continue as leader of opposition in Senate in terms of rule 2 of rules of procedure and conduct of business in Senate 1988. The chairman said that Ishaq Dar of PML-N has the support of only 15 members while his rival Ghafoor enjoys support of 25 senators.
The ruling was also accompanied by the suggestions of the Senate chairman to Committee on Rules and Procedures to recommend the mechanism for defining the status of independent members, whether elected from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) or settled areas/provinces, inter alia, with their right to propose a member for opposition leader slot.
The ruling further emphasised for allocation of separate seats in the house to the independent members for properly regulating the business of the house. It said that formation of group or association, if any, by the independent members and for which certain privileges or facilities may be granted to them as may deem appropriate on the basis of their numerical strength.
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