In full view: Dar says NA and Senate disconnected

In deciding legal matters, law ministry can be consulted .

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government’s growing frustration with the upper house came out in the open on Monday when, in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar spoke of “a disconnect between the National Assembly and the Senate”.

In a direct address to NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Dar said “it would be a mockery if the Senate chairman gives a ruling and the NA speaker issues a different version.” He was alluding to the Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani’s ruling against the government’s process to summon joint sessions.

At this stage, Speaker Sadiq pointed out that Senator Rabbani had telephoned him and inquired about any ‘expected’ contradictory ruling from the NA speaker’s office.

Sadiq explained that despite divergent opinions within the lower house secretariat, he gave an assurance to Senator Rabbani that the issue would be settled amicably through negotiation.

In his ruling delivered on February 10, Senator Rabbani raised several objections over the government’s move to convene a joint session of parliament mainly to legislate on pending controversial issues.

Rabbani had earlier claimed that the president had summoned the session with the consent of the prime minister which is a violation of the relevant rules. According to him, only the speaker or chairman can summon such sittings.

During the session, PTI lawmaker Shah Mehmood Qureshi diverted the attention of the session towards the Senate chairman’s ruling. “There is a clash-like situation between the two houses and that needs to be addressed as a top priority.”

Describing the Senate as a respectable institution that truly represents the federation, Qureshi said: “This issue should have been brought up before the Council of Common Interests (CCI) which is the right platform to build consensus once the Senate failed to approve this legislation twice.”

However, Dar clarified that this is not the first but rather the fourth joint session in parliamentary history to legislate. Over the span of a year, he said, the government presented different bills which were amended by the Senate but without any joint session being convened.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2016.