ISLAMABAD - It was an extraordinary moment. All eyes gazed at the newly elected left-leaning Bhuttoist as he was sworn in as the seventh Chairman Senate of Pakistan on Thursday amid thunderous applause. Duo Mians Galleries in Senate echoed with ‘Jiye Bhutto’ slogans as PPP under the political wisdom of its Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari reclaimed the citadel of Senate by seating its old guard Mian Raza Rabbani on the seat of Chairman Senate.
Rabbani, apart from his contribution in drafting of 18th constitutional amendment, was hailed as chairman Senate for his left-wing politics with senators pinning all hopes on him and wanting him to play his role in empowering the upper house.
Soon after Rabbani was administered oath by Senator Ishaq Dar who was Presiding Officer on the occasion, PPP loyalists who had swamped Senate galleries, celebrated the victory with chanting of long live Bhutto slogans.
But it was not a day of celebration over the victory of a leftist alone. Seats in the galleries were also occupied by turban-wearing supporters of Deobandi religious party, the workers of JUI-F, who were waiting for diluting the slogans of Bhutto with Allah-o-Akbar slogans as the Deputy Chairman of Senate to be sworn-in was Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, a JUI-F stalwart.
Corridor leading to chamber of chairman Senate and deputy chairman Senate was littered with flowers and pieces of sweet as politicians, guests and journalists rushed to the chambers to congratulate the newly elected chairman and his deputy.
But there was more hustle and bustle in chamber of Maulana Haideri than in chamber of Rabbani. The Chairman would receive guests and would nod his head as a gesture of acknowledgement when guests or politicians would congratulate him on his new assignment.
On the other hand, there was abundance of sweets in chamber of Maulana Haideri who was encircled by his diehard religious followers who would hardly offer a chance to guests to hug the newly elected deputy chairman.
Interestingly, majority of PML-N Senators did not show up to congratulate the two position holders and were rather observed sulking in chamber of Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq.
PML-N Senators having 26-member strength in the upper house had a sense of deprivation as the offices of chairman and deputy chairman Senate went to PPP and JUI-F.
While the PML-N Senators would welcome comments by guests that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif showed his grace by letting PPP to hold reigns of Senate, some lawmakers of the ruling party dubbed the day as ‘surrender’ day of PML-N.
A senior PML-N Senator and thorough loyal friend of PM Sharif told The Nation that hawks in his party viewed the triumph of PPP in Senate as a ‘sad day’ for PML-N. “Our party should have fought for the slots to the end. We think PML-N gave the two slots in gift,” he added.
Not all PPP lawmakers were happy over the election of Rabbani. Senator Rehman Malik in his speech reminded the challenges that would haunt the new chairman including empowering the upper house in decision-making process. Senator Malik indeed dared the newly elected chairman to meet the expectations of members of the house.
A guest at Raza Rabbani’s chamber recalled the speech of Senator Malik in Senate to the chairman saying “Senator Malik looks more member of opposition party than member of PPP” and Rabbani acknowledged the fact with laughter.
PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan winded his speech on the floor of house with some poetic lines that reflected the inward feelings of his party’s Senators over the victory of PPP’s Senator as chairman of the house.
“It does not matter if the chairman is from PPP or any other party. The interesting thing is that it will be the duo of Mian that will rule the parliament - Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Raza Rabbani as Chairman Senate. We welcome this development,” a PML-N senator concluded.