Dar offers olive branch to opposition

ISLAMABAD:

The upper house met on Thursday, during which Faisal Vawda and Maulana Abdul Wasay were sworn in as senators. Leader of the House Senator Ishaq Dar extended an olive branch to the opposition, urging cooperation with the government.

The Senate session was chaired by Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Parliament House.

As the session began, Gilani administered oath to Vawda and Wasay.

Addressing the house, Vawda expressed his gratitude to the PML-N and PPP for extending support to him.

The newly-sworn in senator maintained that he was ousted from the PTI for “showing mirror” to the party. He sought formulating rules in the upper house and stressed the importance of ceasing disrespectful behavior towards others. He added that the humiliation of those defending the country’s borders was unacceptable.

Taking a jibe at the judiciary, Vawda said it was after years that people came to know who the “culprit” was behind former premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s hanging.

“Zardari saab was imprisoned for several years. Under which law Nawaz Sharif and PTI founder’s governments were overthrown?” he questioned.

Vawda called for a “change in system”, saying unless it occurred, the workers, leaders and production orders would be of no use.

He further questioned the PTI founder’s ongoing nikah case in the court. “Even our bedrooms are not safe. What is the use of all these things?”

Leader of the House Senator Ishaq Dar offered Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz to work together with the government and urged him to join hands in taking the country out of the current crises.

He lamented that senators from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were not present in the house, and added that he did not support the politics of revenge.

Faraz noted that PTI had the “highest number of political prisoners” in the country.

He said they would have to move forward keeping in view the past and present.

Faraz paid tribute to party founder Imran Khan and called for the issuance of production orders for PTI’s Ejaz Chaudhry, enabling his attendance at the upper house session.

“The entire nation knows how our government was overthrown. [Later] a caretaker government was established which oppressed our leadership,” he said.

“The interim set-up was illegally given such mandate which had no scope in Pakistan’s Constitution,” he added.

“Senators from Khyber-Pakhtunkwa are not in attendance in the upper house. This house considers itself handicapped. All these things are the violation of the Constitution.”

Later, the Senate chairman passed the ruling to constitute a special committee of the upper house to ensure smooth functioning of legislative business.

According to the ruling issued by the chair, in accordance with Rule 174 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012, Senate committees are mandated to be formed within two months following the election of the chairman and the deputy chairman.

“As the House has entrusted me with this responsibility of Constitution of the Special Committee, I hereby constitute the Committee with the following composition:- (i) Senator Farooq H Naek (ii) Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for law & Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (iii) Senator Syed Ali Zafar. The Committee will deliberate and present its report in the sitting of the Senate to be held on Monday, 29th April, 2024,” the Chairman Senate’s ruling said.

The process of constituting committees has commenced, with preferences from members being solicited to ensure alignment with their aspirations and the best interests of the house of the federation.
“The Constitution entrusts upon parliament the duty of meticulous examination and review of all financial matters, particularly those related to money bills, which hold significant implications for our country’s fiscal health and governance.

Within this framework, the Senate, as the upper house, assumes a pivotal role in conducting comprehensive scrutiny and analysis of financial legislation. The recommendations put forth by the Senate carry substantial influence in shaping the ultimate outcome of money bills,” the ruling said.
The Senate Rules encompass a thorough mechanism to ensure the fulfillment of the House and its members’ constitutional obligations.

“Rule 204 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012, outlines the establishment of special committees to facilitate in-depth consideration of a matter. As per established parliamentary practice, special committees have historically been formed during Senate transitions every three years to ensure the continuity of the House’s business, even in the absence of regular committees,” it said.

Notably, special committees were constituted by the House during the tenures of former Chairmen Senate in the years 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2009, 2012, 2015 and so on, to deliberate on bills and other significant matters while regular committees were being formulated.

Continuing with the Parliamentary tradition, upholding the constitutional mandate and ensuring the smooth functioning of the legislative process, a special committee is being constituted to deliberate upon and scrutinize the money bill in question.

“I trust that all honorable members of this House will extend their full cooperation and support to this special committee in fulfilling its crucial responsibilities by the principles of parliamentary democracy and constitutional governance,” Gilani said.