Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday felicitated newly-elected Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Expressing his thoughts, Ashraf said: "The politics of reconciliation have once again been successful."

The former National Assembly speaker took a jibe at the political opponents, saying, "Those who have made excuses for boycotting the elections want to derail the democracy in the country."

Speaking about the Senate elections, Ashraf said: "The magnificent victory is a result of the coalition government's positive policies."

The appointment of new governors in the four provinces will be made in line with the fixed formula.

– PPP's Yousaf Raza Gilani, PML-N's Saidal Khan elected Senate chairman, deputy unopposed –

Earlier, PPP's Yousaf Raza Gilani and PML-N's Saidal Khan Nasir have been elected Senate chairman and deputy chairman unopposed, as the opposition PTI boycotted the elections to the two constitutional offices.

They were elected unopposed, as no other candidate submitted nominations against them in the stipulated time period, with the PTI boycotting the elections.

Earlier, the session of the Upper House of parliament to administer oaths to the newly elected senators, as well as elect the chairman and deputy chairman of the House, had begun with Senator Ishaq Dar presiding over.

As the session kicked off, Foreign Minister Dar emphasised the establishment of good parliamentary traditions, amidst protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members. Later, 41 out of the 43 newly elected senators were sworn in, including 35 elected members and six successful candidates from by-elections.