ECP report, Murree tragedy: Heated Senate session likely today

ISLAMABAD: Verbal clashes are expected in Senate on Tuesday (today) when the widely-debated PTI foreign funding report is discussed in the House, as well as the recent Murree tragedy.

As the revelations of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) scrutiny committee continue to make headlines and evoke reactions, comments and analysis, the House is all set discuss the matter, as Monday’s sitting was adjourned without taking up formal business to mourn the 22 deaths in Murree and Chairman Senate Muhammad Sanjrani’s younger brother, who died in a road accident the other day.

It was a private members day, but the government wanted continuation of discussion on the ‘mini-budget’. For discussion on the PTI foreign funding scrutiny report, 11 members of the Senate had submitted an adjournment motion in addition to already moving a calling attention notice on the subject.

On Monday, after recitation from the Holy Quran, the chair asked JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad for dua for the departed souls. After dua, he requested for time to members to speak on the Murree tragedy.

Leader of Opposition Yusuf Raza Gilani and PPP parliamentary party leader Sherry Rehman contended that they had moved an adjournment motion for discussion the next day. Gilani said, “We are in grief over the tragedy and share Chairman Senate’s shock and grief over the death of his brother and we are bringing an adjournment motion in the House tomorrow [Tuesday] for discussion.”

Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem moved a motion under Rule 263 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012, that the requirement of Rule 25 of the Rules regarding Private Members’ Business be dispensed with for 10th January, 2022. He said he had talked to Leader of Opposition, and all the members were in agreement that the House be adjourned and resume Tuesday on account of the tragedy.

The Monday’s agenda included further consideration of the motion moved by Senator Shaukat Fayaz Tarin, Minister for Finance and Revenue, on January 4, 2022: “That the Senate may make recommendations to the National Assembly on the Money bill, the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021, as required under Article 73 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

Another agenda item was that Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood, Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, will present report of the Committee on the Money Bill [The Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021].

He was also to move that the recommendations on the Money Bill [The Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021], as reported by the Standing Committee, be considered and adopted in the House. Now, these two items related to the money bill will be taken up on Tuesday.