The ruling PTI-backed Sadiq Sanjrani has been elected as chairman of Senate for a second consecutive time, defeating PPP's Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was the Pakistan Democratic Movement's joint candidate.

Sanjrani was first elected to the post in March 2018, when he was backed by the joint opposition (including the PTI and the PPP among others), to become the first person from Balochistan to be elected to the coveted post.

In July 2019, the opposition had submitted a resolution of no-confidence against Sanjrani as a first step towards mounting pressure on the PTI-led coalition government.

However, Sanjrani survived the no-trust vote after 14 lawmakers from the opposition ditched their party leadership by either voting against their own resolution or deliberately wasting their votes.

Sanjrani, who is from the Balochistan Awami Party, belongs to Chagai, the mineral-rich district of Balochistan having huge reserves of gold, silver, copper, iron ore, onyx, marble and other precious minerals. Saindak and Reko Diq copper-cum-gold sites are located in the district.

Born on April 14, 1978, Sanjrani belongs to the docile Sanjrani Baloch tribe. After basic schooling in his native town Nokundi, he went to Islamabad for further education and obtained a master’s degree from there.

Due to his family's involvement in politics, Sanjrani started his career by joining the team of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif as coordinator in 1998 and served with him till the ouster of his government by Gen Pervez Musharraf in 1999.

Then Sanjrani came close to the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership and was appointed in-charge of the party’s complaint cell where he worked for five years.

Sadiq Sanjrani’s father, Khan Muhammad Asif Sanjrani, is considered one of the leading tribal elders of Chagai district and currently he is a member of the Chagai District Council.

Sadiq Sanjrani has five brothers and he is the eldest among them.

One of his brothers, Raziq Sanjrani, is managing director of the Saindak Metals Limited and another, Mir Muhammad Ejaz Sanjrani, served as a coordinator to the Balochistan chief minister.

Sadiq Sanjrani had also worked with former chief minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri as his special assistant.

He has considerable administrative experience as he has previously held government positions like coordinator, Grievances Cell, Prime Minister’s Secretariat (1999); member, Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and then chief coordinator/adviser, Prime Minister’s Grievances Wing, Prime Minister’s Secretariat (2009).