Senate | Pakistan

• US consul general meets Senate chairman • Regional peace, economic ties discussed LAHORE: Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani has expressed concern over India’s unilateral actions regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying that “any attempt to use water as a tool of coercion undermines regional stability and threatens the livelihoods and food security of millions of Pakistanis”. He was speaking to United States Consul General Stetson Sanders, who called on him here on Saturday. Mr Gilani called upon the international community to support the restoration of treaty obligations and adherence to international law. Following the unilateral suspension of the IWT in April 2025, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, India escalated dam construction and began heavily regulating water at existing facilities such as the Baglihar Dam, posing a threat to Pakistan’s water supply. Mr Gilani and Mr Sanders exchanged views on matters relating to Pakistan-US ties, trade and investment, besides regional peace and sec...

President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on June 5 to announce the federal budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2026-27. According to an official press release issued by the Presidency on Friday, the NA has been summoned at 5pm on June 5, while the Senate session is scheduled for 6pm. Meetings of the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) and the National Economic Council (NEC) — forums which review economic and development performance during the outgoing FY and set targets for the following year — are scheduled in the first week of June. The schedule hints that presentation of the federal budget to parliament may slip to the second week of June from the first week, as earlier contemplated by the authorities concerned. The government is set to approve a consolidated national development programme of more than Rs3.5 trillion and a macroeconomic framework envisaging an economic growth rate of 4.1 per cent with an elevated inflation rate of 8.5pc for FY2026-...

• Minister says no proof of Pakistanis being singled out in Gulf state • Reveals 3,494 Pakistani nationals deported between January and April, describes reports of victimisation as ‘propaganda’ ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Thursday told the Senate that around 3,494 Pakistanis had been deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between January and April this year, but claimed there was no evidence suggesting that Pakistani nationals were being specifically targeted in the Gulf state. Responding to a calling attention notice moved by upper house opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas, Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Azam Swati on the issue, the minister said those deported included individuals involved in various criminal cases, while some had been sent back under administrative actions taken by the UAE authorities. These deportations, he continued, could not be linked to any discriminatory policy against Pakistani nationals, noting that over two million Pakistanis were residing in th...

ISLAMABAD: The treasury and opposition sparred in the Senate on Tuesday over a rising wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Attaur Rehman asking whether the province had been “handed over to terrorists”. Speaking in the House, Senator Rehman accused the government of indifference to KP’s security situation, saying its focus on legislation was “in no way more important than the lives of the people of KP”. “Why has our blood turned white? Why is there no concern for KP?” Rehman asked. “Blood is being spilt there and you’re worried about your bills. Are these bills so important that human blood keeps flowing while you keep passing legislation?” He cited attacks in Lakki Marwat and Bannu and said the provincial chief minister was “still out on tours”. “Have some sense of our wounds. Why are Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s conditions not being given importance?” he said. Responding to the senator’s remarks, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry s...

• Seeks probe into ‘sudden and suspicious’ transfer of ex-PM’s spouse to medical centre from Adiala jail • Rana Sanaullah advises party to pursue matter through legal channels ISLAMABAD: PTI senators walked out of the Senate on Thursday after the party’s parliamentary leader in the House, Syed Ali Zafar, raised alarm over reports that Bushra Bibi was “suddenly and suspiciously” taken to a hospital from Adiala jail during the night and returned without any disclosure, calling it a “serious human rights violation”. Raising a point of order, Mr Zafar said the reports had caused “grave apprehension and concern throughout the country”. He termed the situation “highly strange and secretive” and said it raised several questions. “If Bushra Bibi was unwell, why has the nation not been informed about her medical condition? To which hospital was she taken? What medical tests were conducted? Which doctors examined her? Why was she immediately brought back to jail?” he asked. He said the silence of the government and jai...

ISLAMABAD: Senate Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasar on Monday took notice of security lapses and poor facilities at the Parliament Lodges, summoning the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and security officials and ordering a comprehensive report within three days. Parliament Lodges house members of the National Assembly and Senate in the capital. Security and maintenance issues have been a recurring issue at the lodges. Chairing an emergency meeting at Parliament House, Nasar expressed displeasure over the unauthorised entry of unrelated persons in the Parliament Lodges and termed the security flaws a “serious threat”. He directed authorities to submit details of all complaints received at the lodges and the subsequent action taken. The deputy chairman also raised questions over delays in renovation and repair work, and expressed dismay at the poor condition of lifts. Citing his own experience of getting stuck in a lift, he called such incidents an “administrative failure”. Lack of progress despite repeated...

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday halted the by-election for the vacant Senate seat of PTI leader Murad Saeed and issued a stay order after a petition challenged the legality of the de-notification process, adjourning further proceedings. A three-member bench of the ECP heard the petition regarding the matter and issued notices to all concerned parties. During the hearing, the lawyer for petitioner MPA Jalal Khan appeared before the commission and stated that Saeed had been elected senator but did not take the oath of office. He argued, “Since Saeed did not take the oath, questions arise over how he was de-notified as a member,” adding that a person is considered a member of the house only after taking the oath. The petitioner’s counsel further requested the ECP to postpone the by-election and remove the existing ambiguity in the matter. After hearing the arguments, the ECP accepted the request and put the scheduled April 23 by-election on hold, issuing a stay order and adjournin...

PESHAWAR - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established an election tribunal to hear appeals regarding the upcoming by-election on a vacant Senate seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Tu­­esday directed the Ministry of Defence to conduct an impartial third-party inquiry into the alleged misconduct of Pakistan Interna­tional Airlines (PIA) cabin crew with a parliamentarian. The directive stems from a privilege motion moved by Senator Bilal Ahmad Khan Mandokhail on February 12, 2026, regarding alleged misconduct by Ms Saima Rana, a cabin crew member on PIA flight PK-326 from Quetta to Islamabad on February 7. The committee recalled that its recommendations issued on February 17, 2026, had called for grounding both the cabin crew member and the pilot involved. However, it observed that PIA failed to implement these directives. Senator Mandokhail expressed disappointment over the airline’s non-compliance, stating that the crew continued performing duties despite clear instructions. Incident occurred on flight PK-326 on February 7 The directives were issued during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges at Parliament House...

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Monday rejected a PTI lawmaker’s bill seeking amendments to the Elections Act for enhancing the participation of women in the political process after opposition by almost all the other parties. The development came as the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, under the chairmanship of Senator Tahir Khalil, considered the Elections (Amendment) Bill. One of the provisions sought that all political parties ensure that at least 33 per cent of total office‑bearers at federal, provincial and district levels are women, and that allocation of poll symbol should be denied to those parties which failed to comply. The bill, moved by PTI Senator Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, also proposed conducting intra-party elections by secret ballot under an accredited independent election authority. “At least 33 pc of positions filled through internal elections must be reserved for women, with proportional allocation for non‑Muslims and persons with disabilities,” the proposed bill said. “Th...

ISLAMABAD: Telecom companies (telcos) and banks faced-off on Wednesday before a Senate panel meeting that focused on complaints by bank customers regarding being overcharged through regulatory or unauthorised messaging services. Representatives of the banks and telcos blamed each other for charging an extra fee — which collectively amounts to Rs26 billion — to bank customers during the meeting. This led the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, led by PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, to dig deep into the matter and ask both sides, as well as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), to provide their transaction details and rates of service charges. The meeting also decided to seek the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) assistance. Some senators were of the view that banks should not separately charge SMS fees, and that it should either be included in their service charges or rationalised. At the outset, Pakistan Banking Association (PBA) President Zafar Masud said there were two types of SMS charges, pertain...

Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday approved the surrender of the Rs265 million to the national exchequer in efforts to support the government’s austerity drive. On March 9, the government announced a host of austerity measures to conserve fuel in view of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. In a post on its X account, the Senate said that the chairman has approved the surrender of Rs265m as an “immediate measure” to the Finance Division, adding that efforts were also underway to “identify additional savings by curtailing expenses in the coming weeks to deposit in the national exchequer”. According to the statement, he directed the Senate Secretariat to ensure the implementation of the austerity measures in accordance with the austerity drive announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Gilani emphasised that “the Senate, as a key constitutional institution, fully recognises the importance of fiscal discipline in the current economic circumstances and remains committed to sup...

Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani directed on Tuesday the implementation of “wide-ranging austerity measures”, projecting a reduction of more than 50 per cent in the Senate Secretariat’s remaining budgetary utilisation for the current fiscal year, which is believed to translate into savings of around Rs700-750 million. A statement issued by the Senate Secretariat said that Gilani presided over a high-level meeting at the secretariat today to review the austerity measures and discuss their implementation in light of the country’s economic situation. The austerity measures for the secretariat align with a broader initiative taken by the government to deal with a global fuel crunch resulting from the ongoing Middle East conflict. The discussion during the meeting focused on “significant cuts in Senate expenditures, beginning with substantial reductions in the budget of the chairman’s office”, the statement said. “Adopting a top-down approach to fiscal discipline, the chairman directed that austerity measures mu...

A rebuttal by the Senate Secretariat on reports of the purchase of a luxury vehicle for Senate Chairperson Yousaf Raza Gilani further confused the matter on Monday, essentially confirming the purchase and reiterating the details reported in this connection. The rebuttal was issued after it was reported that a vehicle worth Rs90 million was bought for Gilani from the Senate’s budget. The reports also quoted Gilani as explaining that the car was ordered in May last year, “using savings from the Senate’s budget of the previous year”. These details were also confirmed in the Senate’s rebuttal, which, however, did not mention the cost of the car. The rebuttal said: “The attention of the Senate Secretariat has been drawn to certain media reports regarding the purchase of a vehicle (Land Cruiser) for the honourable Senate chairman.” “These reports are misleading, factually incorrect, and appear to be based on incomplete information and mala fide intentions,” it said, without specifying which information was incorrec...

Multiple anti-state, Indian and Afghan accounts on social media platform X have been sharing a video since March 2, claiming that it shows Allama Raja Nasir, opposition leader in the Senate, saying Pakistan allowed the United States to use its airspace against Iran. However, the clip is doctored using artificial intelligence (AI). Israel and the United States launched joint military strikes on Iran on February 28, and assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, significantly escalating tensions in the Middle East. Iran called the strikes unprovoked and illegal, and responded with missiles fired at Israel and at least seven other countries, including Gulf states that host US bases. The war entered its fifth day on Wednesday, with no let-up in attacks by the US, Israel or Iran. Meanwhile, Washington has said it was winning in the war against Iran, adding that the US military could fight as long as needed. On March 2, an anti-state account on X shared a clip of Nasir speaking on a talk show with the ...

ISLAMABAD: The upper House of Parliament on Friday passed a bill for regulating virtual assets as well as the ‘establishment’ of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) — a body already set up under an ordinance approved by the president in July last year. The development comes as the ordinance was set to lapse in early March. The rules were suspended in the Senate to take up the bill, which was moved by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, for immediate consideration. The preamble of the bill, a copy of which is available with Dawn, stated that it was expedient to establish a dedicated virtual assets regulatory authority to licence, regulate and supervise virtual assets and virtual asset service providers to “ensure investor protection, transparency and market integrity in Pakistan”. It further stated that it was necessary to provide a comprehensive legal framework to empower the said authority to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing and other illicit activit...

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry while vowing that there would be no compromise on national security, on Monday informed the Senate that no one would be allowed to weaken Pakistan’s defence.

ISLAMABAD: The upper house of Parliament on Monday echoed with the PPP’s displeasure over recent statements regarding the creation of a separate Karachi province, asserting that it was an inseparable part of Sindh. The development comes two days after the Sindh Assembly passed a resolution terming Karachi an “inseparable” part of Sindh and opposed any move that suggested otherwise. Opposing the resolution in the Sindh Assembly, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had also declared it unconstitutional. On Monday, PPP’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Sherry Rehman, denounced recent statements by certain federal ministers, ostensibly a reference to MQM-P’s Mustafa Kamal and Khaliq Maqbool Siddique. Rehman said that such reckless talk was not only unconstitutional but also a direct provocation to the unity of the federation. “Let me be clear: the PPP is the custodian of Sindh’s unity and no one will be allowed to undermine it,” she said. She said Sindh had always opened its arms to everyone, adding...

ISLAMABAD - Acting Chairman Senate, Syedal Khan Nasir, met with an international delegation of the Sixth International Workshop on Leadership and Stability at the Senate of Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: There was an outcry in the upper house of Parliament on Tuesday against changes by the power regulator in the contracts for solar consumers, with the government defending the move. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Monday drastically changed the terms of contracts for all existing and future net-metered solar consumers — known as prosumers — to contain rising solar energy penetration and protect an expensive and inefficient state-owned power network. The notification effectively terminated the existing net-metering regime and replaced it with net-billing for all. Speaking on a motion in the Senate on Tuesday, PTI Senator Syed Ali Zafar strongly criticised the government’s decision to withdraw net metering benefits for solar consumers, calling it a grave breach of trust and a cruel act against the people of Pakistan. Senator Zafar stated that a promise, once made, must be honoured and when that promise came from the state, it became sacrosanct. He recalled that the governme...