Senators walk out over extra perks for ex-CJ

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday ‘adjourned’ a resolution that called for withdrawal of additional perks and privileges from ex-chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, being above the law, as the joint opposition walked out of the House.
However, Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan, Mian Raza Rabbani and Haji Muhammad Adeel stayed back in the House.The Leader of the House, Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, argued that since the matter was sub judice, as the government was pursuing it in a court and after first intra-court application was rejected, it again submitted an application and urged for early hearing, therefore, the resolution might not be adopted.
Aitzaz rose to contend that the resolution was very important but as it had been told to the House the related matter was sub judice, it would be improper to press it further.
The resolution, the first of its kind, was moved by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar, carried signatures of six senators including Haji Muhammad Adeel of ANP, Ghulam Ali of JUI-F, Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi of MQM, Hidayatullah from Fata, and Abdul Rauf from PkMAP.
The resolution says: “This House expresses serious concern that a former CJP is availing fringe benefits over and above those admissible under the rules. It believes that such discrimination in availing extra fringe benefits by only one ex-CJP to the exclusion of other ex-CJPs and ex-judges militates against the prestige of the judiciary.”
Speaking on the occasion, Farhatullah Babar said that the government should have either challenged the court order or amended the rules to provide for additional perks to the ex-CJP to comply with the court orders but it failed to do so, resulting in discrimination in awarding additional perks to only one CJ among several retired chief justices.
The senator then staged a token walk out to drive home what he said the former CJ clinging to extra perks and privileges and the government’s failure to address the issue within the ambit of the law. Several lawmakers from various parties also joined him in the token walk out.
As it was last day for the Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari to chair the session, senators from the treasury and opposition parties showered praise on him for running the House brilliantly with impartiality and according to the Constitution, the law and the rules, which not only added to the grace of the Senate but also his own.
Senators across the aisle noted that apart from running the House smoothly, Bokhari was extremely successful in representing Pakistan as different world forums, pleading Pakistan’s eloquently.
Aitzaz said that the vacuum to be created in the wake of bowing out of the Senate chairman, might not be filled, who had run the House always with impartiality. He hoped the next chairman would try his level best to keep in mind the elegant traditions left by Nayyar Bokhari.
Rabbani praised the Senate chairman for his exemplary role by taking along the treasury and opposition senators. He added the Senate chairman belonged to a political party but after assuming the coveted post, he acted with brilliance.
Afrasiab Khattak said that the services rendered by the outgoing Senate chairman were praise-worthy and would be remembered in the parliamentary history forever.“You added to the prestige of the House and did justice to your status as the custodian of the Senate, fulfilling the constitutional, legal and procedural needs,” said Muhammad Hamza.
Raja Zafarul Haq noted that the chairmanship of the out-going chairman had left pleasant impact on the Parliament and wished he would have been given another term in office for his commendable performance.
Senator Ch Shujaat Hussain noted that Nayyar Bokhari was extremely successful in running the House with impartiality and grace.Babar said that Chairman Bokhari would soon be succeeded but could not be replaced. “Succeeded you will be, no doubt; but replaced you shall not be; because you are irreplaceable” he said and complimented the outgoing chairman for his lasting legacy in taking concrete steps for the establishment of Asian Parliament and the Senate Think-Tank.
Others, who spoke included, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana, Dr Abdul Qayyum Soomro, Zahid Khan, Mohsin Leghari, Farah Aqil, Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Shaikh Aftab Ahmad, Haji Muhammad Adeel, Nisar Muhammad, Zafarullah Khan, Saeedul Hasan Mandokhel, Nuzhat Sadiq, Saleh Shah, Najma Hameed, Rubina Irfan, Sehar Kamran, Ahmad Hassan, Surriya Amiruddin, Shirala Mallick, Dr Saeeda Iqbal and Mola Bakhsh Chandio.
The House offered Fateha for the departed soul of a former Senator Mir Abdul Rehman Jamali and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family.
The Senate passed a resolution unanimously calling upon the Asian countries to take concrete steps on fast track for the establishment of Asian Parliament Assembly. The resolution was moved in the House by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed.
The House through a unanimous resolution called upon the Asian countries for taking concrete steps and moving on fast track for the establishment of Asian Parliament.The resolution moved by Mushahid Hussain Syed, who appreciated the services of outgoing Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari also as President of Asian Parliament Assembly.
In his farewell address, outgoing Chairman Senate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said it had been his endeavour to promote dignity and sovereignty of the House at all costs.
He advised the senators to continue efforts for strengthening democratic system in the country. Bokhari thanked the ministers and senators for their cooperation in running the House smoothly. He believed the solution of masses’ problems was in continuation of democratic system, as elected representatives were accountable to their voters for their conduct which was not the case with regards to other institutions.
Bokhari announced an honorarium equal to one month salary for the employees of the Senate in recognition of their support to the House. The House will now meet Wednesday at 10:30 am.