ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has said that it would oppose any “no-trust motion” against incumbent Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, saying it would be tantamount to tarnishing the image of this “sacred democratic institution”.

Amid speculations that perhaps the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the single-largest majority party in the Senate, is preparing for a no-trust move against the Senate chairman to remove him, a PTI lawmaker on Tuesday said that such move would be “uncalled for and violation of law, norms, rules and Constitution.” The PTI also said that it fully and unconditionally supported the Senate chairman and any such move would be defeated with a bigger majority.

PTI Senator Azam Khan Swati, who is also a candidate of leader of the opposition in the Senate, in a statement said the Senate chairman had been duly elected by majority of senators under the Constitution of Pakistan.

“There is no such provision to bring a no-trust motion against him,” he said, adding this would be uncalled for and a violation of law, norms, rules and Constitution—a claim that he rebutted in his statement as well.

“Anyone trying to tarnish the image of this sacred democratic institution will be taken to task. Under Article 53(7)(c), one can only bring a resolution against chairman Senate in the Senate to be removed by the majority of members,” Swati said.

He said the PTI regardless of the political party’s affiliation would defend honour and dignity of Upper House of the Parliament, and of chairman Senate and “will not make him a laughing stock and any such move with nefarious design will be defeated on the floor of the House.”

The opposition parties’ supported candidate Sadiq Sanjrani, now Senate chairman, defeated the PML-N candidate Senator Raja Zafarul Haq in March 12 Senate elections.

Though, the PML-N and its allies had enough number in the house to get its chairman Senate elected, however, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani defeated the ruling PML-N candidate by 11 votes in secret ballot, leaving the ruling party to guess who voted against its candidate from within.

The Senate chairman had the support of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the PTI, all opposition parties besides independent candidates of Balochistan.

Iftikhar Durrani, the head of the PTI’s Central Media Department said that the PML-N was planning to initiate a no-trust move against chairman Senate and the PTI had issued this statement as a pre-emptive measure.