Senate body for robust role of parliament amid corona difficulties

ISLAMABAD: The Senate House Business Advisory Committee Wednesday discussed the possibility of holding the Senate session in view of the pending important legislation and the prevailing national scenario with particular reference to the coronavirus pandemic, as Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani called for a more robust role of the Parliament in the given situation.

The meeting was held here at the Parliament House via video conference and Sadiq Sanjrani presided over it. The forum deliberated on the emerging scenario amid COVID-19 and discussed in detail the hardships being faced in transacting the legislative business. The Senate had its last session prorogued on March 04.

The Senate chairman, at the outset, emphasised that the Parliament had to play a more robust role in the current crisis as there was a need for a national response to overcome the pandemic.

However, Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said the federal and provincial governments had taken a unanimous decision to extend the lockdown until April 30, 2020.

“There is a need to consider overall situation with regard to lockdown, precautionary protocols and the risk factors involved before taking any decision,” he maintained.

Taking part in the deliberations, parliamentary leaders participating in the discussion also floated various proposals for convening Senate sessions and committee meetings.

The Senate chairman observed that important legislation was pending. However, he said that decision to convene the Senate session requires detailed examination of the existing rules and procedures. He referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges for a report and said that any decision to convene the Senate session would be taken in accordance with the recommendations of the committee.

Sanjrani said economic fallout of the crisis could not be ignored and the parliament had to take a lead in this regard with special reference to the upcoming budget.

This was the first session of the House Business Advisory Committee, which was held through video link. The initiative was proposed by the Senate chairman a couple of days ago.

Leader of the House in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz, Mushahidullah Khan, Sitara Ayaz, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Sajjad Hussain Turi, Anwarul Haq Kakar, Aurangzeb Khan Orakzai, Babar Awan, Minister for Narcotic Control Muhammad Azam Swati and Secretary Senate Dr Akhtar Nazir were present in the committee room during the meeting, whereas Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Senator Sherry Rehman, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Usman Kakar, Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini and Sirajul Haq participated through the video link and gave recommendations to the forum.