For the first time in the parliamentary history of Pakistan, five senators from different political parties nominated by Senate on Tuesday participated in Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting and took active part in discussion on different matters. As many as six senators from different political parties were nominated by the Senate and announcement to this effect was made during the session by the Secretary Senate Amjed Pervez Malik.
The six senators include Chaudhry Tanvir Khan (PML-N) from Punjab, Sherry Rehman (PPPP) from Sindh, Azam Swati (PTI) from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri (JUI-F) from Balochistan, Mushahid Hussain Sayed (PML-Q) from the federal capital and Hidayatullah from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Sherry Rehman, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chaudhry Tanvir Khan, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati and Hidayatullah attended the meeting of PAC at the Parliament House here on Tuesday.
The Senate Secretariat appreciated the efforts of Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar for his co-operation in this landmark achievement, which would help strengthen democracy and participatory federalism in the country. This move has a long trail of struggle for implementation of the constitutional scheme, wherein, the Auditor General of Pakistan is under obligation to lay the annual report relating to the accounts of the federation to the both houses of the Parliament. The said report was being scrutinised by a committee of one House only, ie the Standing Committee on Public Accounts of the National Assembly. Moreover, there has been longstanding demand from the various segments of society that the Senate being the House of Federation should have a role and say in relation to financial matters.
Therefore, Senate, itself, took a lead to fight the case of inclusion of members in the Public Accounts Committee. This struggle is spread over a period of three years wherein, in a landmark development of the parliamentary history of the country, Senate on July 28, 2016, adopted a motion, approving amendments for giving representation to members of the Upper House of the Parliament in the PAC, which previously comprised the members of National Assembly only.