PM Kakar endorsed Ishaq Dar as leader of House in senate: Solangi

ISLAMABAD — Interim Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi informed the Senate that Interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has appointed Senator Ishaq Dar as Leader of the House and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla as Chief Whip with Minister of State status. During the session on October 30, Senator Shahadat Awan asked whether the House Speaker, the Opposition Leader, and the Chief Whip would continue to serve after the term of the previous government ended. The Minister responded that they would, in accordance with parliamentary customs.

He also noted the issuance of the notice that Saleem Manviwalla had been appointed Chief Whip.

The Caretaker Prime Minister reportedly gave Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani permission to “retain Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar as Leader of the House” on October 31.

Ishaq Dar was also’retained’ as the Senate’s majority leader.

An complaint was voiced at a special session of the Upper House of Parliament about Ishaq Dar’s usage of the title of Leader of the House.

When the elected government did not exist, PPP leader Shahadat Awan questioned why the PML-N Senator was listed as the leader of the house on the agenda.

Responding to the query, Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani said he had received consent from Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar that Ishaq Dar will continue as the leader of the house.