Govt determined to bring Hafeez Sheikh into senate before June

The plan to bring Hafeez Sheikh into the Upper House includes getting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Ishaq Dar disqualified through a presidential reference. Dar, a former fiance minister, was elected on a technocrat seat in 2018 but has not taken oath as yet.

The presidential reference will reportedly include a time frame within which any elected member must take oath. As per reports, the time frame may be fixed at two years. All other members who have not taken oath in two years will also be de-seated. This clause may also affect former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who has not taken oath despite winning a seat in Punjab Assembly in the general elections of 2018.

Hafeez Sheikh was defeated by Yousuf Raza Gillani in a crucial fight for federal senate seat on March 3. Since then, the government has bounced back with its candidates winning the Deputy Chairman and Chairman slots on Friday. Gillani was defeated by Sadiq Sanjrani 48-42 with seven votes of the opposition leader getting rejected by the Presiding Officer. Since then, PDM has said that it will challenge the decision in court.