President summons Senate session on April 9 for oath-taking

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the session of the Senate on Tuesday (April 9) at 09:00 am for the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected lawmakers in the upper house of Parliament.

“In the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 54 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the Senate to meet in the Parliament House, Islamabad on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 09:00 am,” President House said in a statement late Sunday night.

In tomorrow’s session, newly-elected senators will take the oath, and an election for the constitutional post of chairman Senate and deputy chairman Senate will be held amid opposition by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) due to an “incomplete house”.

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan postponed elections on 11 seats of  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 2 after a petition filed by the opposition in the KP Assembly. In the house of 96 members, 85 senators will take oath with 11 vacant seats.

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The presiding officer nominated by the prime minister will administer the oath to the newly-elected senators. Members elected in the by-elections of the Senate on vacant seats will also be administered the oath.

Regarding the top Senate position election, the PPP has proposed former prime minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani for the position of chairman, while no name came from PML-N for deputy chairman. PML-N is considering a female lawmaker for the position and a decision is anticipated today.

The biggest opposition party, PTI, has not yet submitted a nomination to run against the joint candidate of the ruling coalition for the Senate chairmanship. Meanwhile, PTI has nominated Senator Ali Zafar as leader of the opposition in the upper house of Parliament.