Senate depicts true scheme of Constitution: President

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said that the Senate depicted true scheme of Constitution, where Members of the Upper House rose above party lines and legislated on issues of national public interests.

The President said this while talking to Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Chairman Senate also presented the annual report to the President.

The President lauded the work done by the Senate of Pakistan on legislative fronts as well as its efforts in Parliamentary diplomacy. He highlighted that the Senate of Pakistan brought together parliamentary leadership for promoting peace and development at the forum of Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA).

He noted that the APA meetings were deliberately held at Gwadar in order to establish that Gwadar would soon become the regional economic and trade hub.

Later, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani briefed the President that the Senate had continued its legislative work for the protection of basic human rights.

He also highlighted the legislative achievements of Senate which included legislation on mainstreaming of FATA and PATA, rights based legislation for women, children, transgender persons, and migrants, access to health care, access to  education, and access to interest-free credit.

The Chairman said the Senate met 13 times, with 111 working days and 78 actual sittings, marking an average attendance of 64.46 %. Furthermore, a total of 28 private member’s bills, 15 government bills, and 7 ordinances were introduced in the Senate.

The President commended Chairman Senate’s efforts as a result of which the Special Committee on Kashmir became the Parliamentary Committee after ten years, consisting of membership of both Houses of Parliament.

He also hoped that this Committee would positively contribute towards highlighting the human rights violations in the Indian occupied Kashmir with a view to seek a final settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the United Nations Resolutions.