ISLAMABAD - The historic but tumultuous session of Senate will start today under the chair of newly elected Senate Chairman Sajid Sanjrani, the first person to head the Upper House of the Parliament from Balochistan, as the ruling PML-N and its allies from Balochistan are prepared to give him tough time, on what they termed, his (Sanjrani) dubious election.

The 276th session of the Upper House is unique in so many ways as for the first time any person from Balochistan has been elected as chairman Senate and probably he is the youngest person to head the Upper House as well.

But at the same time he landed in controversy soon after he got elected to the coveted slot and that too from the level of prime minister and his whole cabinet, which is out to make the whole exercise controversial and dubious.

Political observers said that only time will tell how effectively Sajid Sanjrani would manage it as he would be driven by the strong opposition from the ruling PML-N and its allies.

“Interestingly, Sanjrani will be facing tough time from his colleagues from his home province the glimpse of which was seen on elections day when National Party chief Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo came up with scathing criticism on his election,” a member of the Upper House from PML-N commented.

Sources in PML-N informed The Nation that they would not let smooth sailing for Sanjrani in Upper House and would make things difficult for him. Most likely the ruling PML-N would come up with strong reaction on all what had happened in the Upper House during the recently held Senate elections and later the elections for chairman and deputy chairman.

Another significant thing about the composition of the Senate was the election of Sherry Rehman as Leader of Opposition, a first lady in the Senate’s history to hold this slot.

But PML-N senators termed the whole exercise mockery of democracy as the PPP-backed candidates were holding the slots of Chairman Senate, Deputy Chairman Senate and Leader of Opposition.

PML-N and its allies are of the view that this composition, where people from the same party would be holding all key positions both in government and opposition, would weaken democracy.

The sources in the government informed that they would not let the Upper House function smoothly and since Sanjrani’s election as chairman Senate PML-N and its allies had started manoeuvring to dislodge him and engaged in wooing support of small parties and independents to de-seat him.

The prime minister’s campaign to make recently held Senate elections controversial was part of the plan as when at some later stage PML-N would come in position to de-seat the chairman Senate they would justify its move.

It would be the first formal session of the Upper House after the inaugural session where newly elected Senators were sworn in and elections and installation of Chairman and Deputy Chairman Senate were accomplished.

As Monday is the private members day the house would take up the routine agenda.

The Senate has to complete the Standing Committees of the Upper House as the same were disbanded following the retirement of half of the senators and now same needed to be reconstituted after the induction of new senators.

‘Tumultuous’ Senate session starts today