FAFEN Report 2013-14: Senate ‘conspicuously’ quiet on foreign affairs

According to report, intervention on issues related to foreign affairs in Senate last year were few, limited in scope.

ISLAMABAD:

The upper house has paid little attention to foreign affairs over the past year, the Free and Fair Election Network’s (FAFEN) Annual Senate Report 2013-14 has revealed.

According to the report, intervention on issues related to foreign affairs in the Senate last year were few and limited in scope, with little substantial debate on policy decisions and senators largely fixated on India, Afghanistan and the US.

Apart from few interventions pertaining to Indian aggression, disaster relief from Saudi Arabia and American insistence on Dr Shakil Afridi’s release, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been conspicuously quiet on foreign affairs, it revealed.

In comparison, the PPP was most actively engaged on foreign affairs in the Senate – with interventions covering a much wider range of policy areas and issues, followed by the JUI-F.

Senators brought 82 foreign affairs related interventions before the house during the year.

The Senate also made 113 recommendations for the 2013-14 annual budget, of which 21 were incorporated by the National Assembly for the first time. A total of 31 bills appeared on the agenda. The Senate passed two private members’ bills, while 24 bills were introduced but not passed and five bills were not taken up. The upper house also adopted 26 out of 50 resolutions tabled.

In its recommendations, the FAFEN called for re-defining the powers of the Senate and its standing committees.

FAFEN’s report is based on its direct observation of Senate proceedings.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.