Opp gets resolution on rallies passed in Senate
The opposition on Friday managed to get a resolution regarding allowing peaceful demonstration by political parties, in the Senate, while the government successfully thwarted an attempt to table another opposition resolution against the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).
The upper house of parliament met here with Senator Sherry Rehman in the chair. The house passed three bills, while Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, on behalf of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, laid a copy of the Money Bill, "The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Hidayatullah protested against denial of permission for holding a rally. On that Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz presented a resolution, saying that permission should be given if there was a peaceful rally was held anywhere in the country.
"A peaceful rally is the right of all political parties, including the PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]," he said. However, Law Minister Tarar opposed the resolution, saying that granting permission was related to the Punjab government and "we cannot force the provincial government".
He said that the draft of the solution should incorporate "subjected to the law and the Constitution". The PTI senators, however, rejected the law minister's proposal. Faraz said that the text had been prepared by Senator Hidayatullah.
PTI's Ali Zafar said that there was no restriction on the government and the allied parties from holding the political gatherings but only the PTI was being subjected to the ban. "The text of this resolution will not be changed," he stated categorically. Later, the resolution was passed.
The opposition members protested and raised slogans after not getting the floor. They also protested that Senator Ijaz Chaudhry was not being brought to the house despite the production order issued by Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Just before the PTI could present a resolution against PECA, the law minister point out the lack of quorum, after which the session was adjourned. The house would meet again on Monday morning, the chair ruled.
Earlier, during the session, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan assured the Senate that toll tax would not be collected on incomplete sections Mirpurkhas-Khokhropar Highway - a 17 kilometre part of the highway from Rajarasti to Umerkot.aaaa
The chair referred the matter to the relevant committee and set a three-month deadline for its resolution.
Also, four reports of the various standing committees were tabled, pertaining to the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and a report regarding appointments in the Agricultural Development Bank in the last 10 years.
The bills passed by the house were related to severe punishment for those Involved in human trafficking, begging abroad and sending young girls abroad for abuse. All the three bills were Introduced by Law Minister Tarar and the house passed the bills Unanimously. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)