Senate’s golden jubilee

This year, the month of March has unique significance in our democratic, parliamentary and constitutional journey as the Senate celebrates its golden jubilee. This occasion affords us with an opportunity to reflect, review and ponder our progress so as to recalibrate a more promising and progressive future trajectory, reflecting the aspirations of the people and the federating units that this august house represents. Looking back, this journey that the upper house of our federal parliament embarked upon since its advent half a century ago to reverse the wrongs of the past and to empower provinces through effective representation and devolution of powers, was by no means easy.

The challenges were forbidding, carrying an unwieldy and crippling baggage from our chequered past. The political and parliamentary progression of Pakistan in the pre-1973 constitution period vindicates that parliament as a unitary legislature literally perpetuated the ‘tyranny of the majority’. The unicameral system combined with centralization of powers and authorities eroded the very foundations of democracy and the federation. This anomaly was redressed in the 1973 constitution which provided for a bicameral legislature with equal representation to the provinces, thus providing an institutional and constitutional mechanism to connect the federation and the constituting units. The then law minister, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, who is credited as a principal drafter of the 1973 constitution said in his address to the National Assembly on February 17, 1973: “[the] Senate is the most important introduction in this constitution to provide for a truly and genuinely federal form or federal constitution in the country notwithstanding the tremendous disparity in the population of various provinces, ranging from 1.5 or 1.6 million in one province to 33 or 34 million people in the largest province.”

I salute the foresight and sagacity of the framers of the constitution, who very rightly perceived that political diversity and geographical makeup of Pakistan merited a system of federal bicameralism, and not a simple bicameral legislature. Emerging like a phoenix out of the ashes of misadventures like ‘One Unit’ in a dangerous bid to perpetuate a strong centre, all at the cost of fledgling federating units ultimately costing painful dismemberment of our eastern wing in 1971, the Senate has held its own in the face of challenges on our democratic, socioeconomic, strategic, security, foreign policy, domestic and international fronts.

Instituting a pluralistic framework central to governing and representing culturally diverse states like Pakistan, the upper chamber forged national cohesion and endeavoured to repair a fractured federation by augmenting equal provincial representation and ensuring mutual respect as the very mainstay of inclusive democracy. Promoting unity through diversity, the Senate played an important role in strengthening inter-provincial and federal-provincial harmony. The upper house of the federation made all-out efforts to fulfil its mandate to facilitate harmonious federal-provincial relations.

Despite recurring challenges every now and then, this journey continues, rooted in the spirit of participatory federalism, to represent the provinces/territories of the country for promotion of a sense of equality, peace and harmony, which are pivotal for the growth and prosperity of a nation. Leading from the front with sound proactive legislation, astute oversight and effective public and provincial representation, it proved to be a chamber of sound collective national wisdom, ‘sober second thought’ and ‘continuity of democracy’. As envisaged by the framers of the 1973 constitution, the Senate played the much-needed role as a bastion of provincial rights and autonomy, and national cohesion and unity.

It is promising that in the face of diverse challenges, the Senate has endeavoured to give a message of hope and reassurance to the nation. Even in times of political strife and turbulence, the Senate remained objective and on course to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities on the principles of fair play, pluralism and accommodation.

An intra-institutional dialogue and communication is vital for the purpose of good governance and progress. Harmony and understanding are necessary to effectively address the challenges at hand and meet aspirations of the people. In this regard, the Senate has always made it a point to lay a special emphasis on forging national-level partnerships with key state institutions, public-sector entities, and other quarters to deliberate and consensually resolve key issues, be it on the foreign policy front, provision of speedy justice, etc for national progress and prosperity.

The main objective behind all such endeavours has been to put in place a cohesive and sound network of national collaboration and partnership with parliament at its core. Privileged to be the custodian of the august upper house and being a staunch proponent for provincial rights, I strongly believe in equality and inclusivity not as mere buzzwords, but as core convictions that form the very bedrock of participatory parliamentary democracy and robust federalism. The Senate is celebrating its golden jubilee of its advent in the month of March by convening a historic three-day special session at the Parliament House in Islamabad to renew, reaffirm and re-energize federal-provincial harmony and connectivity being a sine qua non for a robust, strong and homogenous federation.

The special session – scheduled for March 15, 16, and 17, 2023 – will be graced inter alia by sitting and former senators, parliamentary leadership, chief ministers, governors, and provincial ministers, diplomats, heads of chambers of commerce and media houses, and office-bearers of bar councils, etc. The golden jubilee session of the Senate envisages rejoicing, accentuating and reflecting upon a truly monumental and path-defining journey that the upper house of the Pakistan parliament embarked upon 50 years ago. The underlying spirit is to commemorate this historic journey of the Senate as a special occasion of remembrance, acknowledgment, deliberation and renewed commitment – all in a constant endeavour to strengthen pluralism and equality.

This ongoing journey has been, and continues to be, a quintessentially transformative tour de force to hem together and strengthen the federation, ensure national cohesion and unity, and promote an inclusive, representative and balanced parliamentary system through participatory federalism. And that is the collective irrefutable triumph of democracy, parliament and lawmakers who represent people, as envisaged in the constitution.

The writer is the chairperson of the Senate of Pakistan.