
ISLAMABAD: After a shocking defeat in the elections for the Senate chairman and deputy chairman seats, former president Asif Ali Zardari held a telephonic conversation with Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss the Opposition’s future course of action.
The three leaders spoke over the telephone to discuss the PDM’s loss in the elections for the Senate chairman and deputy chairmanship.
The three leaders have agreed to find out the reasons behind their loss in the elections, according to the reports.
They also discussed preparations for the PDM’s upcoming long march and the alliance’s future.
It is also reported that during the conversation, the PDM chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, told the leaders of the two largest opposition parties that there was “no point” in holding a long march without the Opposition resigning en masse from the assemblies.
During the conversation, it was also decided that the political struggle from the PDM platform would be expedited for sending the government back.
This comes as the ruling party PTI won both seats in the senate chairmanship election.
In the race for chairman, Sadiq Sanjrani received 48 votes, while Yousaf Raza Gillani received 42 votes despite the fact that the opposition has the majority in the upper house.
On the other hand, government candidate Mirza Mohammad Afridi won the election for the deputy chairman of the Senate with 54 votes, defeating Opposition’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who grabbed 44 votes.
Meanwhile, Opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday announced that they will challenge the rejection of seven votes cast in favour of their candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani on the court.