Decrease in number of supplementary questions: Senate body opposes amendment proposed in Rule 57

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges opposed the amendment proposed in Rule 57 to decrease the number of supplementary questions from three to one.

The committee met under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo here at the Old Pips Hall, Parliament Lodges on Wednesday.

The committee discussed the proposed amendment in Rule 57 in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012 introduced by Senator Behramand Khan Tangi during the Senate session.

The amendment proposed to decrease the number of supplementary questions from three to one. Senator Tangi said the chairman shall disallow any admissibility of a supplementary question. The ministry did not support the amendment as it might infringe the right enshrined in article 66(1) of the constitution for freedom of speech to the members in the Parliament.

The committee members opposed the amendment, consequently, the proposed amendment was withdrawn by Senator Tangi.

A privilege motion moved by Senator Manzoor Ahmad Kakar against the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), who was playing the role of the acting governor at that time, was also taken up. The mover briefed the Committee about his concerns and complaint against the Governor SBP.

He was of the view that the members of the Parliament called the government functionaries related to public issues but every time he and some other members of the Senate and National Assembly called the then Acting Governor SBP, he never responded and never called back which amounts to obstruction of the parliamentary duties of the members.

The governor made unconditional willful apology on negligence at his part and said that it was due to inadvertence and the State Bank does not intent to neglect the services rendered to the Parliamentarians. He said that due to hectic engagements regarding financial matters in the recent past he could not respond to the calls made on his cell number.

Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar accepted the apology and withdrew the Privilege Motion against the Acting governor. The proposed amendment in Rule 9 and insertion of Forth Schedule in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, introduced by Senator Main Raza Rabbani during the Senate session was also taken up for consideration.

Senator Rabbani emphasized that the chairman and deputy chairman shall be elected in accordance with the provision of the Fourth Schedule by the members of the Senate. He said that it is an internal business of the House and cannot be conducted by an outside entity. Senator Rabbani stressed that leasing out the elections to the Election Commission will not be acceptable, crippling the sanctity of the sovereignty of Parliament.

The ministry maintained that the power to conduct elections may not be vested in the Senate Secretariat being not an independent entity. The matter was deferred for further deliberation on the matter, as the Federal Minister for Law and Justice requested deferment as he wanted to personally respond to the instant rule amendment.

The meeting was attended by Senator Main Raza Rabbani, Irfanul Haque, Manzoor Ahmed Khan Kakar, Prof Sajid Mir, and Senator Tangi.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan along with other senior officials of the concerned departments were also in attendance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022