ISLAMABAD: Senators from different political parties, Monday, continued to condemn the passage of the “controversial” resolution by the upper house of the Parliament, last week, which opposed Supreme Court’s landmark judgement against the military courts, contending that the said resolution undermined the dignity of the Senate.
“Parliament was used—the Supreme Court’s verdict should have been accepted in letter and spirit—if there were any concerns, the legal course should have been adopted—but using Parliament like this is highly condemnable,” deplored former chairman Senate Raza Rabbani from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on the floor of the house.
“This resolution was stealthily passed on a private-member day—this resolution does not reflect the sense of the house. We strongly condemn this resolution,” he added.
Rabbani said the house supports the resolution moved by Mushtaq Ahmed Khan regarding the military courts. He demanded that this resolution be put up before the house.
Khan, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) senator, termed the last week’s resolution against the SC verdict as a “drone attack on Parliament.”
“When that resolution was brought, Raza Rabbani and I strongly opposed it. But we were not allowed to even share our views. That resolution was not even part of the house’s business agenda and was moved in a highly questionable manner,” the legislator lamented.
He said the lawmakers fully support the apex court’s landmark verdict to declare the military courts as unconstitutional. “This is a historic verdict,” the senator remarked.
Tahir Bizinjo from National Party (NP) also spoke in strong condemnation of the resolution against SC verdict. “If the verdicts of the civilian courts are not to be implemented in letter and spirit, then shut them down,” he deplored.
Barrister Ali Zafar from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) questioned why this resolution was moved in the house when the quorum was lacking and the resolution was not part of the house’s business agenda.
He said Article 10A of the Constitution of Pakistan provides for the fair trial and due process of law to everyone.
PTI’s Humayun Mohmand said the cases of those involved in May 9 violence be tried in civilian courts.
Manzoor Ahmed Kakar from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) said the resolution was passed in haste without considering the sense of the house.
Shafiq Tareen from Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) said the situation in Balochistan needs urgent attention where thousands of people are staging a sit-in.
Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani assured Tareen that he would take up the issue with caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti.
Speaking at the session, Bugti said that the caretaker government was dealing with the situation in Balochistan.
PTI’s Mohsin Aziz moved a motion urging the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to take necessary steps to eliminate the currency note of 5000 rupees “as this is cause of inflation and corruption in the country.”
The house unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming the fundamental right of every child to access quality education, irrespective of their gender, location, or socioeconomic status.
The resolution was moved by independent Senator Sana Jamali in commemoration of the International Literacy Day.
Four private bills; the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) (Amendment) Bill 2023, Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023, Smart Institute of Sciences and Technology (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Right of Access to Information (Amendment) Bill 2023 were introduced in the Senate by the respective senators and referred to the relevant standing committees. The house was adjourned till today (Tuesday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023