ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has slammed Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s remarks about recently elected Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and threatened to lead a protest march toward Islamabad if the comment is not retracted.
“The whole of Balochistan is shocked over Abbasi’s irresponsible statement about the Senate chairman,” Bizenjo said at a joint press conference with Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Thursday.
“With Nawaz’s ousting, we hoped that the Prime Minister’s Secretariat would be open for the people of Balochistan but that is not the case,” Bizenjo said.
The prime minister expressed concern over the election of the Senate chairman during recent public addresses at Nankana Sahib and Lahore. Abbasi stressed the need to elect a consensus head of the Senate, claiming that votes were “purchased” to get Sanjrani elected and so he commanded no respect.
Bizenjo said at the press conference: “This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a legislator from Balochistan has been appointed as the Senate chairman. The position is also of such importance that it wasn’t reasonable for the PM to say such a thing and in such language.”
Imran Khan, whose party voted for Sanjrani as Senate chairman, also lashed out at Abbasi for his comment, and said: “Nawaz Sharif is the pioneer of horse-trading in Pakistan.”
He claimed that the PTI tried to change this practice of using money to buy votes, but the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not give any support; now the party criticized the practice after its candidates lost the top Senate slots.
Khan also criticized Abbasi for dismissing Supreme Court verdicts in Nawaz Sharif’s support. “It has never happened that a PM criticizes his own Supreme Court,” he said.
Khan said that he was open to forming an electoral alliance with parties who were not led by corrupt people, especially the likes of the newly formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), which has Bizenjo as its member along with six independent senators, including Sadiq Sanjrani, the current chairman of the Upper House.
“The whole of Balochistan is shocked over Abbasi’s irresponsible statement about the Senate chairman,” Bizenjo said at a joint press conference with Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Thursday.
“With Nawaz’s ousting, we hoped that the Prime Minister’s Secretariat would be open for the people of Balochistan but that is not the case,” Bizenjo said.
The prime minister expressed concern over the election of the Senate chairman during recent public addresses at Nankana Sahib and Lahore. Abbasi stressed the need to elect a consensus head of the Senate, claiming that votes were “purchased” to get Sanjrani elected and so he commanded no respect.
Bizenjo said at the press conference: “This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a legislator from Balochistan has been appointed as the Senate chairman. The position is also of such importance that it wasn’t reasonable for the PM to say such a thing and in such language.”
Imran Khan, whose party voted for Sanjrani as Senate chairman, also lashed out at Abbasi for his comment, and said: “Nawaz Sharif is the pioneer of horse-trading in Pakistan.”
He claimed that the PTI tried to change this practice of using money to buy votes, but the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not give any support; now the party criticized the practice after its candidates lost the top Senate slots.
Khan also criticized Abbasi for dismissing Supreme Court verdicts in Nawaz Sharif’s support. “It has never happened that a PM criticizes his own Supreme Court,” he said.
Khan said that he was open to forming an electoral alliance with parties who were not led by corrupt people, especially the likes of the newly formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), which has Bizenjo as its member along with six independent senators, including Sadiq Sanjrani, the current chairman of the Upper House.
