ISLAMABAD: Nayyar Ali Bukhari and Sabir Baloch have become chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate respectively.

The 80th session of the upper house began here Monday in the Parliament House Building with Presiding Officer Afrasiab Khattak in the chair.

Khattak administered the oath of Bukhari who was elected for the post unopposed as no other party had nominated its members against him.

The PPP and its allies had nominated Nayyar Bukhari and Sabir Baloch for the post of chairman and deputy chairman respectively in a meeting held at the Presidency on Saturday.

Earlier today, 54 new members of the upper house had taken oath after getting elected in elections held on March 02.

The present Senate has 104 members instead of previous 100 as for the first time four minority members have also reached the upper house.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani felicitated Bukhari and Baloch for their election.

In their separate messages, the president and the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the continuation of democratic norms in the country.

They hoped that the new chairman and deputy chairman would run the proceedings of the upper house of parliament in accordance with the constitution.