Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges Monday accepted apology from Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources on its absence from the Upper House during debate on gas load shedding issue. The body that met under the chairmanship of Senator Jehanzeb Jamaldini, urged the officials of ministry to respect the Parliament. The matter of breach of privilege was referred to the committee due to absence of senior officers of the ministry in the official gallery of the House on August 03 during debate on gas load shedding in the country.
Secretary ministry of petroleum and natural resources rendered its apology to the body. The committee accepted the apology but also instructed the ministry to take this as the last warning and said the supremacy of the Parliament should be upheld. Chairman Committee said decisions taken in the Parliament can not be implemented without the presence of department concerned. Secretary petroleum assured the committee that in future, this mistake will not be made.
The committee deferred discussion on misbehaviour with Senator Saifullah Khan Bangash during the arrest of his son in Lahore by officials of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in absence of Chairman NAB. The committee asked DG NAB Punjab to intimate the Chairman who is on foreign visit that the Senate body requires a briefing on the matter by the Chairman himself. The body observed that Senate does not want to interfere in the affairs of NAB but manhandling of a sitting Senator is not a small issue. Later the committee also discussed draft proposals regarding formation of an ethics committee in Senate and the codification of parliamentary privileges in its in-camera meeting.