Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Yousaf Raza Gillani has resigned as the leader of the opposition in the Senate days after the State Bank Amendment Bill 2021 was passed in the upper house of the parliament.
Gillani confirmed his resignation while addressing the Senate today. He said his staff was provided the agenda of the January 28 Senate session at 11:30pm on January 27, while he received it nearly two hours later at 1:00am.
Gillani argued that adding the bill to the agenda was not appropriate to do so, that late at night. He said more time was needed to deliberate over the legislation.
Gillani added that the house was taken into confidence regarding such a matter, specifically pertaining to national interest, but it wasn’t done so this time.
Responding to criticism, the former PM said that he was being accused of taking sides with the government regarding the SBP bill.
He said he sent his resignation to his party’s leadership, and also took jabs at Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani for not keeping his conduct impartial during the session.
He said the chairman failed to send the bill to the relevant committee, adding that a “chairman is supposed to be a representative of the house, not the government”.
