Newly elected senators sworn in

ISLAMABAD: Forty-three newly-elected senators took oath Tuesday amid noisy protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The oath was administered senator Ishaq Dar, who was the presiding officer.

At the start of the session, , the PTI members launched the protest and demanded adjournment of the house till the election of senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They termed the election process of chairman and deputy chairman as “unconstitutional” due to an “incomplete house”.

Speaking on the floor of the house, PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar demanded the election be deferred as “the process would be unconstitutional till the house is complete”.

Zafar also blamed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for making controversial decisions.

Senator Ali Zafar said that the PTI had already sent a letter to the secretary for postponement of session as it was unconstitutional to elect officials without copletion of the house.

Senate to convene today for chairman and deputy chairman election

He said Article 60 of the Constitution provides that chairman and deputy chairman would be elected when the house is completed.

He said we wanted to participate in the election, but when the election is against the constitution, we cannot be a part of it.

Addressing the house, Senator Mohsin Aziz said the Senate is a “house of federation”, if one unit (province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) of the Senate is not present, this election is not valid.

After heated debate and protest by the members of the PTI, Ishaq Dar administered oath to the newly-elected mebers.

 President Asif Ali Zardari had summoned the house to meet for its inaugural session today for the oath-taking of newly-elected members and the election of the Senate chairman and deputy chairman.