ISLAMABAD: The Senate session on Tuesday witnessed ruckus as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged a walkout in protest against the controversial canal project on Indus River, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers raised slogans against PPP-PML-N coalition, accusing them of being hand in glove to “sell out” Sindh’s precious water resources.
The session, chaired by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani, began with quorum being pointed out by no other than a treasury Senator Nasir Butt, ostensibly to avoid an embarrassment as both PPP and PTI up the ante on the government to clarify its position on canal controversy. But the pointing out of the quorum paid off as the House was adjourned.
At the onset, following the opposition PTI which encircled the dais of the chairman. Minutes after the opposition protests, the PPP, the coalition partner of the ruling PML-N, staged a walkout.
Opposition senators created a ruckus and raised slogans during Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar’s speech.
The opposition senators pointed out the quorum, upon which, the Senate chairman began counting the members. On the other hand, PPP senators rose from their seats to protest. During the protest, they also raised slogans condemning “water theft”.
The Senate chairman asked Tarar to talk to Sherry Rehman and bring the issue to the House for discussion.
Tarar said that on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he has contacted the PPP and multi-party consultations are also under consideration.
He added that there will be a discussion on this issue, nothing will be bulldozed, and cabinet members will answer questions in the House.
PPP senators walked out of the house after the protest, after which PML-N senators also left.
During the session, PTI senators chanted slogans “PPP ki munafiqat namanzoor” (PPP’s hypocrisy unacceptable).
Despite the uproar, Tarar continued his address, saying the matter of canal construction from the Indus River would be resolved through dialogue. “This is not how public service is done; they are reacting to losing the Tharparkar election,” he remarked.
He added that PPP leaders had been in contact with the prime minister’s adviser Rana Sanaullah, and cabinet members would respond to questions. He urged PPP senators to return to the house and engage in discussion rather than protesting. “The issue will be resolved as per the Constitution and law. Nothing will be bulldozed,” he assured.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shibli Faraz, said that the production order of the chairman of the Senate was not being followed; the Election Commission was not responding to the Senate elections, it should be told what respect is left for this House?
Faraz expressed his views and said that the chairman Senate issues production orders but no one acts on them. He said that when the chairman Senate asked the Election Commission to hold Senate elections, there was no response.
He said that the argument was made that Taj Haider had passed away, so an election would be held on his seat, while Sania Nishtar had resigned, so an election could not be held there.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate also said that there was a spectacle here that the result of the counting of votes on the motion was not released because the government had lost.
He said that the people of Sindh are protesting and deeply dissatisfied, while the PPP’s stance on the canals issue is hypocritical.
Faraz said that the PPP chairman objected to the canals and the president supported them in July. We care about the people of Sindh; this problem is not just about Sindh.
At the outset, the Senate offered Fateha for the departed souls of the late father of Senator Palwasha Khan, the late mother of Senator Faisal Ali Sabzwari, the Pakistani Umrah Zaireen who passed away in a road accident in Saudi Arabia, and the personnel of law enforcement agencies who sacrificed their lives in various incidents for the defence of the country.
The house also observed a one-minute silence to mourn the passing of Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Christian community.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani announced the names of presiding officers for the panel of chair, including senators, Sherry Rehman, Irfan Siddiqui, and Saleem Mandviwalla. The Senate has been adjourned to meet again on Friday at 10:30 am.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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