KARACHI: Recently re-elected Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Wednesday said there was no legal ground for challenging proceedings of parliament, including election for its upper house in court, and expressed the resolve to run the house in line with the defined rules.

Speaking to journalists after visiting and offering Fateha at Mazar-i-Quaid along with Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Mohammad Afridi, Senator Sanjrani was confident that his victory as Senate chairman was in fact reflection of clean democratic and electoral process.

“There’s no legal ground for that,” he said in a brief response to a query about plans of the opposition parties to challenge his election as Senate chairman. “I am now the custodian of the house and let me assure you that the Senate will be run according to the Constitution and with the cooperation of the members.”

Earlier, the Senate chairman and the deputy chairman laid wreath and offered Fateha at the mausoleum. The two landed in Karachi late on Tuesday.

Later, Mr Sanjrani and Mr Afridi held a meeting over lunch with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at Governor House.

They were briefed about various federally-funded projects being carried out in Karachi and other parts of the province.

“The dignitaries discussed constitutional, legislation and public welfare issues, promotion of interprovincial harmony and other matters of mutual interest,” said a statement issued by Governor House.

“They agreed that legislation is an important requirement of the time for completion of development projects and protection of public funds. While Chairman Sanjrani viewed that the public interest will take precedence in the constitution-making process in the Senate,” the statement concluded.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2021