Though the Senate's 22nd session has been called off without assigning any reason on Friday, as many as 53 items are pending with the Upper House of the Parliament since 2003. Moreover, the election of the deputy chairman is yet to be held. The coveted seat fell vacant after Commander Khalilur Rehman quit and took oath as the NWFP governor, five months back.
THE PENDING BUSINESS INCLUDES: two government bills transmitted by the National Assembly; the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2004, transmitted on October 25, 2004, and The Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2005, transmitted to the Senate on March 24, 2005.
Likewise, the government introduced four bills in the Senate: they are the Banks Nationalisation (Amendment) Bill, 2004, the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan Bill, 2004, the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards Bill 2004 and the Contempt of Court Bill 2005.
These bills were introduced respectively on November 26, 2004, July 09, 2004, February 18, 2004 and February 10, 2005.
There are as many as 16 private members' bills pending with the Senate: they include the Dowry and Marriage Gifts (Restriction) Bill, 2003 by treasury member M. Anwar Bhinder. He piloted seven bills.
State Minister for Interior Dr Shahzad Waseem moved a bill: the Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, 2003, the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2004 by Farhatullah Babar, the publication of the Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing Errors) (Amendment) Bill, 2004 by Dr Kausar Firdous and the Constitution (Nineteenth Amendment) Bill, 2005, by Raza Rabbani, Farooq Naik, Dr Safdar Abbasi, M. Enver Baig, Rukhsana Zuberi, Dr Abdullah Riaz, Abdul Lateef Khosa, Sajjad Bokhari and Akbar Khawaja.
The fate of 14 privilege motions, 13 by different opposition parties' members also hangs in balance. The only privilege motion filed by a treasury member is by Ms Gulshan Saeed, about the alleged misbehaviour by Ms Naheed Khan, MNA with the mover.
Three adjournment motions: on the decision of the European Union to impose 13.1 per cent anti-dumping duty on bedlinen imported from Pakistan (Professor Khurshid Ahmed and Professor Ghafoor Ahmed, movers), on the compulsory retrenchment of six workers of Pakistan Steel Mills (Raza Rabbani, Safdar Abbasi and Farhatullah Babar, movers) and on the alleged failure of Islamabad police in abdicating its responsibility as the guardian of public safety (Professor Khurshid Ahmed, mover).
Three resolutions, including the one that the House recommends that the ban imposed on trade unions be lifted, are also pending with the Senate.
Two motions: this House may discuss the existing public transport system (mover Raza M. Raza) and the House may discuss the health policy with particular reference to free medical treatment for the needy (mover Ms Gulshan Saeed) are yet to be entertained.
Similarly, under separate notices, amendments to Senate rules by Anwar Bhinder and Farhatullah Babar and Mian Raza Rabbani, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi, Hameedullah Jan Afridi, M. Akram, Ms Saadia Abbasi, Ms Kulsoom Perveen and Dr Safdar Abbasi.
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