Sadiq Sanjrani's Senate victory draws reactions from govt, Opposition

• Sadiq Sanjrani defeats Opposition candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani.
• Government lawmakers says "Pakistan has won".
• Eight votes cast during the election were rejected.

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Sadiq Sanjrani, the youngest and first chairman of the Senate from Balochistan, was elected to the top-most position of the Upper House for the second time on Friday, drawing in felicitations from the government side and criticism from the Opposition.

Sanjrani emerged as the winner of the Senate chairman election after defeating Opposition candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani in a controversial race. Eight votes cast during the election were rejected.

Government lawmakers, taking to Twitter, congratulated the newly elected chairman of Senate, saying that "Pakistan had won".

Senator Faisal Javed Khan tweeted in excitement right after the result was announced and thanked the people for praying for the government-backed candidate's victory.

"Alhamdulillah!!! Pakistan has won!! ... Imran Khan has won!! Awam has won!!! Corruption has been defeated.... This victory belongs to the whole Nation. Thanks for your prayers!!!!!" he said.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari congratulated the new chairman Senate, saying it was a well-deserved victory.

PTI leader Usman Dar congratulated Sanjrani on winning the "last battle on the Senate front".

He hoped that after this election, the members of the Opposition would accept Prime Minister Imran Khan's demand to conduct elections via open ballot.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar hoped the newly elected chairman would run the house as efficiently as he did in his previous tenure.

"Balochistan zindabad, Pakistan zindabad," the federal minister said.

Adviser to Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said democracy had been strengthened in the Senate.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan's nominated candidate Sadiq Sanjarni has won," he said, as he congratulated the government and its allies.

Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also congratulated the newly elected chairman on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the Opposition lawmakers and leaders slammed the government and alleged that there was rigging in the elections.

Former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal said seven votes cast in Yousuf Raza Gillani's favour were rejected. Had they not been rejected, he would have gotten 49 votes and defeated Sanjarani, he said.

PML-N's Khawaja Saad Rafique said the Opposition's majority "had been proved" in the elections as the presiding officer had "rejected seven authentic votes".

"Congratulations to the democrats and constitutionalists of Pakistan on the PDM's great victory in the election of chairman Senate," he said.

Meanwhile, PML-N's Hina Pervez Butt said she was surprised after the government-backed candidate defeated Opposition's Gillani.

"When the state makes it an ego issue, then no one can win," she lamented.