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Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, Chief of Balochistan’s National Party, stated that he is not unnerved by Sadiq Sanjrani’s win as the Senate Chairman; however, he is worried that “playing games with the state and the constitution” will undermine Pakistan’s democratic health.
Mir Hasil Bizenjo, the opposition’s joint candidate to replace Sadiq Sanjrani for the position of Senate Chairman, addressed a press conference in Karachi on Friday. Sadiq Sanjrani retained his position after 14 senators from the opposition refused to collaborate with the opposition by either intentionally wasting their votes, or voting against the opposition’s resolution.
Mir Hasil Bizenjo stated that he was aware that pressure tactics and bribes would be deployed to defeat the no-confidence motion against the Senate Chairman.
Responding to a question on the no-confidence vote in the Senate on Thursday, Mir Bizenjo stated that he is not unnerved by Sadiq Sanjrani’s win in the Senate election, however, the games being played “against the constitution” would deteriorate democratic values.
Read more: Has Zardari’s engineered appointment of Senate chairman backfired?
Crippling Defeat for Bizenjo
He noted, “The proceedings of the voting process would have shook the spirits of the constitutional founders of Pakistan after seeing the constitution they framed being abused in this manner.” Mir Hasil Bizenjo stated that he was aware that pressure tactics and bribes would be deployed to defeat the no-confidence motion against the Senate Chairman.
He noted that Jahangir Tareen’s aircraft was busy doing rounds of Pakistan throughout the no-confidence motion proceedings, as it was during the formation of the federal and Punjab governments. Bizenjo said, “Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has a tradition of horse-trading.”
Mir Hasil Bizenjo, the opposition’s joint candidate to replace Sadiq Sanjrani for the position of Senate Chairman, addressed a press conference in Karachi.
The Chief of Balochistan National Party (NP) noted that the opposition reserves the right to pass another no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sanjrani, however, such a decision can only be made at a multi-party meeting, which will be called in the near-future. He said, “We are not motivated towards de-seating Sadiq Sanjrani, however, we are anxious that certain elements seek to attack the credibility of the Upper House.”
Responding to a question on the opposition’s disastrous defeat in the Senate, Bizenjo noted that all the senators from the NP had voted against Sadiq Sanjrani. He advised the opposition leadership to launch an inquiry against the disloyal senators, and demand their resignations.
Read more: Why does opposition want to remove Chairman Senate?
Mir Hasil Bizenjo said that dismantling the government is not the agenda of the opposition. He noted, “If the opposition wanted to dismantle the government, it can succeed within a month. However, we believe that the government deserves another warning, and the opposition is left with no choice but to protest.”
Summoned by Court
Senator Mir Bizenjo has been summoned by a Gujranwala court on 8th August to provide an explanation for the accusations he has levelled against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, DG Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), accusing him of being orchestrating opposition’s defeat in the Senate.
Responding to a question on the opposition’s disastrous defeat in the Senate, Bizenjo noted that all the senators from the NP had voted against Sadiq Sanjrani.
Bizenjo had said that ISI Chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed’s “people” were involved in the humiliating defeat of the opposition to de-seat Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani. The petition was submitted by a lawyer, Manzoor Qadir Bhinder, and it was accepted by Additional Sessions Judge Tariq Saleem Chohan, who directed the Gujranwala City Police Officer (CPO) to provide a report on the case.
Petitioner Manzoor Qadir has noted that after his defeat in the Senate, Mir Hasil Bizenjo levelled “baseless and false” accusations against the chief of a premier state institution. Manzoor Qadir added that these accusations were a bid to discredit one of the leaders of the Pakistan Army.
Read more: Pakistan’s Political Scene: Troubled Government and Divided Opposition?
The petitioner requested the court to order CPO Gujranwala and the Civil Lines police station to launch a case against Mir Bizenjo. The court has also dispatched a notice to the Senate Secretary, to make sure Senator Bizenjo appears in court for his summons.
Maligning State Institutions
Earlier in July, the opposition had submitted a joint no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, and nominated Mir Hasil Bizenjo as the candidate to replace him. However, on Thursday, the opposition was served a humiliating defeat, when its own senators refused to vote against Chairman Sanjrani.
Bizenjo had said that ISI Chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed’s “people” were involved in the humiliating defeat of the opposition to de-seat Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
In an embarrassing turn of events, many opposition senators were also seen deliberately wasting their votes. Despite having a majority in the Parliament’s Upper House, the opposition failed to de-seat the Senate Chairman.
Strolling out of the Senate after his demeaning loss, Mir Hasil Bizenjo was accosted by a swarm of journalists, questioning him about the 14 defectors who had voted against his appointment as the Senate Chairman. Mir Hasil Bizenjo said, “These were all Gen Faiz’s people. Do you know Gen Faiz, the Chief of the ISI? They were his people.”
Read more: Opposition Votes to Remove Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjhrani
https://twitter.com/PTI_Achievement/status/1157027638332088325
Responding to Bizenjo’s baseless accusations, DG ISPR, Major General Asif Ghafoor condemned his “unfounded” accusations, and urged that attacking state institutions and maligning their credibility does not “serve democracy.”
Remarks by Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo implicating head of national premier institution are unfounded. The tendency to bring entire democratic process into disrepute for petty political gains doesn’t serve democracy.
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 1, 2019
Analysts, civil society members and intellectuals have come forward to condemn Mir Hasil Bizenjo’s accusations, terming them as attacks against a principal state institution.
Remarks by Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo implicating head of national premier institution are unfounded. The tendency to bring entire democratic process into disrepute for petty political gains doesn’t serve democracy, responds DG ISPR to allegations of political engineering by ISI. https://t.co/7KNzFGUqDa
— Asif Shahzad (@asiffshahzad) August 1, 2019
Jan Achakzai, Chairman of the Center for Geo-Politics and Balochistan, condemned Mir Hasil Bizenjo’s “wild charges on ISI” and reprimanded the authorities for not reacting sternly. Achakzai demanded, “Why he has not been arrested as yet? Without any proof institutions maligned.”
Read more: Hasil Bizenjo alleges DG ISI engineered Senate vote
The Baloch analyst observed, “It is fashionable by many politicians 2 indulge in hate speech against the Army.”
Authorities should have strongly reacted 2 #HasilBizenjo’s wild charges on #ISI in Senate elections.
Why he has not been arrested as yet? @peaceforchange.
W/ out any proof institutions maligned.
It is fashionable by many politicians 2 indulge in hate speech against #Army
— Jan Achakzai / جان اچکزئی (@Jan_Achakzai) August 2, 2019
Senate Chairman elections exposed thin veneer of competing agendas of opposition.
#PPP tried 2 get some leverage. #PML-N attempted 2 bargain. JUI-F voting behaviour no coincident.
Individuals Senators wanted own message sent out.
Last hurdle against PM #IK Govt smashed.
— Jan Achakzai / جان اچکزئی (@Jan_Achakzai) August 2, 2019