Four PML-N senators ‘miss’ party meeting on Senate election 

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday decided in principle to support Pakistan People’s Party’s Yusuf Raza Gilani and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for the post of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively. 

The decision was taken at a consultative meeting of the PML-N senators in Islamabad on Tuesday where former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was appointed party’s focal person for the Senate election, which is scheduled to take place on March 12. At the meeting, PML-N senators were directed to ensure their presence and cast their vote for the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidates. Four PML-N senators did not attend the meeting. 

According to PML-N leaders, Senator Dilawar Khan did not attend Tuesday’s meeting because his wife was suffering from illness, Senator Nuzhat Apa was suffering from pollen allergy, Senator Kamran Michael was busy in inauguration of his hospital and Senator Salman Butt was coming back from the United States to cast his vote in the Senate election. 

Sources said the PML-N has been offered the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate of Pakistan. The name of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate would come under discussion after the election for the office of the Senate chairman and deputy chairman. PML-N leaders are of the view that their senators are receiving phone calls from the Anti-Corruption Establishment and the Federal Investigation Agency.