Rabbani terms parliament hallmark of democracy

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said on Tuesday that Parliament is the hallmark of democracy and it rightly can be called the flag-bearer of a democratic system.

He said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of newly constructed Senate Museum at the Parliament House. Rabbani gave a detailed account of the underlying philosophy for establishing the monument of Unsung Heroes, Gali-e-Dastoor and the Senate Museum and said that people were subjected to tortures, imprisonments and were hanged for not bowing to the dictates of commandments of doctorial regimes and preferred to sacrifice their lives for upholding the cause of democracy and supremacy of the Constitution and the Parliament.

The monument, he said, is to recognise the sacrifices of civil society, workers, labourers, journalists and the common man who believed in democracy. Chairman Senate said that House Business Advisory Committee (HBAC) put its weight behind during all the initiatives taken for enhancing the majesty of the Senate as a House of the Parliament. He said that collective leadership is essence of any democratic system and decisions are taken in collective manner acceptable for all shades of opinion. However, contrary to this dictatorship remains a one man show, Rabbani said.

On Gali-e-Dastoor, the Senate chairman observed that new generation must know that the Constitution and democracy were not acquired so easily and there exists a long journey of hardships and political struggle. The democracy, Rabbani said, was not given by any dictator but it was due to the struggle of common men, including political workers, labour class that the nation is enjoying the fruit of democracy. “There is need to preserve this fruit of democracy through continuous struggle”, he remarked.

He said that museum would contribute towards institution building and strengthening the foundation of democracy in the country. Institutions can’t exists without its history and it is therefore, highly important to preserve the historical aspects of the evolution of the Senate as House of the Federation.

The chairman Senate said that Pakistan is a democratic country and like any other country possesses a long history of struggles to achieve and retain democracy in the country. He said that all the initiatives had been taken to remember the people who rendered sacrifices for democracy and supremacy of the Parliament.

Deputy Chairman Senate Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq. Leader of the Opposition in Senate Ch. Aitzaz Ahsan and Secretary Senate Amjed Pervez Malik also addressed the gathering. They acknowledged the contribution of the chairman Senate for taking landmark initiatives aimed at enhancing the outreach and image of the Senate.

It is worthy to mention here that the museum preserves and projects the soul and spirit of Senate of Pakistan. It complies and narrates the evolution, historical background and re-organization of Senate through combination of pictorial and physical display of various artifacts, murals, dioramas, exhibits and historical documents.

Later on, Rabbani also distributed appreciation certificates among the officials who burned their midnight oil to make this dream reality. The chairman Senate appreciated the contribution made by Lok Virsa, Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services and the Senate Secretariat in turning this dream into reality.

Later on, the chairman Senate accompanied by Deputy Chairman Senate Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Ch.

Aitzaz Ahsan, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Khursheed Shah, Parliamentary leaders in the Senate and Secretary Senate Amjed Pervez Malik formally inaugurated the Senate Museum and briefed them about various sections of the Museum depicting historical evolution of the Senate of Pakistan.