This letter refers to the article ‘A democratic Senate?’ (January 9, 2024). I quite agree with the need for direct senate elections in the future. The present position is certainly not acceptable. A proper formula will eventually have to be created so as to ensure that the best and most deserving and qualified people can be chosen for the upper house, which should also reflect a more equitable gender balance and representation for religious and ethnic minorities.
However, only the newly elected parliament/assembly will be able to carry out this and other serious tasks after February 8. A really heavy and onerous legislative agenda awaits the to-be-elected members of the next government.
Iftikhar Malik
Taxila