Senate suspends Switzerland friendship group

Committee formed to suggest improvements for FPSC

ISLAMABAD: Reinforcing its demand to expel the Swiss ambassador, the Senate announced on Thursday the suspension of all activities of the Pakistan-Switzerland friendship group that promotes parliamentary cooperation between the countries.

The senators, led by Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, have been exerting pressure on the government to be proactive and strongly react to the Swiss authorities’ inaction against a terrorist group that has displayed anti-Pakistan posters in Geneva.

After his strong observations a day earlier, Rabbani said during the House proceedings on Thursday that as a mark of protest, the Senate would suspend cooperation with the Swiss parliament through the friendship group.



Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, said Pakistan should recall its envoy from Switzerland.

“Such behaviour from a so-called civilised country is not acceptable. On the one hand they talk of condemning violence and on the other hand they are allowing their soil to be used by a declared terrorist group for propaganda against Pakistan,” he said.

Law Minister Zahid Hamid had told the Senate on Wednesday that in response to Pakistan’s protest, Swiss authorities had informed the government that the display of anti-Pakistan posters by a group linked with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was not a violation of the country’s domestic laws and they could not take any action against the group.

Earlier this week, Pakistani diplomats in Geneva identified several “Free Balochistan” posters displayed along Rue de Ferney road in the Grand Sacconex municipality that leads to the United Nations office.



“Balochistan House”, an affiliate of the BLA that has been declared a terrorist group by Pakistan, the United Kingdom and some other countries, was stated to be the campaign’s sponsor.

The law minister disclosed that Pakistan had received a similar response from the Swiss government when an organisation named Christian association was doing anti-Pakistan propaganda in Geneva.

The minster’s policy statement incensed Rabbani and he urged the Foreign Office to expel the Swiss ambassador.

The House took up a calling-attention notice about the loss of the jobs of 300 employees due to the termination of the phase-II of a National Savings automation project and one about the outbreak of dengue fever in the federal capital.



While discussing the annual report of the Federal Public Service Commission for 2015, the members lamented that the standard of the civil service had witnessed a steady decline over the years.

The chair formed a committee comprising four senators each from the treasury and opposition benches to formulate recommendations to improve the commission’s standard.

It did not allow debate on an admitted adjournment motion about the reported reconstitution of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), observing that the move was in accordance with Article 153 of the Constitution, which required a notification by the president on the advice of the prime minister.

Chinese gift

Speaking at a function held at Parliament House earlier, Chairman Rabbani said the fate of Asia lay in the hands of the continent’s people who had to become the masters of their own destiny because the West had always exploited its manpower and resources to promote its hegemonic designs and imperialist agenda.

The ceremony was held to receive IT equipment gifted by the Chinese Peoples’ Political Consultative Conference as promised by its chairman in April.

Rabbani said the Pak-China friendship “brings the peoples of Asia together and this century is truly the Asian century”.



Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said various forces were trying to create hurdles in the way of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), but the nation, its political leadership and armed forces had unanimously resolved to make it successful.

Senate Secretary Amjad Pervez Malik said this token of friendship would complement the Senate’s e-parliament initiatives and help optimise the work of the House and its committees.

Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said the gift carried a message of love from his country’s people. He said Pakistan and China were strategic cooperative partners and enjoyed an all-weather friendship. He said it was important to promote parliamentary cooperation and deepen the mutually beneficial bilateral relations.