Senate | Pakistan

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...

ISLAMABAD: In a significant move to assert parliamentary supremacy, a Senate rule was amended on Friday with the aim to curb judicial interference in parliamentary affairs. The amendment to rule 166(5) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate was approved by the upper House of Parliament as chair rejected the government’s request to defer the matter. A motion seeking the amendment to the rule was moved by PPP, PML-N and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) senators. However, during the session, PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah, who is special assistant to the prime minister on political affairs, conveyed Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar’s request that the motion may not be taken up before the matter was discussed with him. However, PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwala, who spearheaded the move to amend the rule and was also chairing the session today, highlighted that the “interference of courts” in House committees’ proceedings was the reason behind the need for the change in the rule. “High courts granted sta...

ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday ruled out talks with terrorists as the upper house of Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the spate of terrorist attacks in Balochistan, while also urging the government to ensure a transparent investigation into the incidents. Speaking in the Senate, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah ruled out talks with terrorists. He urged all political forces to adopt a unified national stance against terrorism, fully support law enforcement agencies and the armed forces, and honour the sacrifices of martyrs and their families. Responding to the points raised by opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas, he said: “No one is angry in Balochistan; there is no issue of rights. They are taking action against Pakistan on the instructions of the enemy.” He said that terrorists should be called terrorists without any ifs or buts and that action should be taken against them without any ambiguity. He pointed out that the enemy was humiliated during Marka-i-...

ISLAMABAD: Barbs flew in the Senate on Friday with the opposition taking the government to task over its policies and demanding a parliamentary probe into “institutional overreach” and “election fraud”. In response, the government accused the opposition of committing “economic terrorism” while also chiding it for the Results Transmission System (RTS) fiasco in the 2018 general polls. Speaking on a calling-attention notice, PTI’s Ali Zafar, the party’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, said Parliament had been made irrelevant and meaningless. His speech was interrupted several times by the members of the treasury benches, who loudly objected to his remarks. “Matters pertaining to the country’s economy, security and foreign policy are not brought before Parliament; [instead] decisions are taken in drawing rooms,” he said, regretting that even agreements linked to the country’s future were signed while keeping Parliament in the dark. “This is a betrayal of the constitutional concept of civilian supremacy,” he ...

State Minister for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani on Friday informed the Senate that the government had successfully steered the country away from default, restored economic stability, and was now focused on achieving sustainable growth and creating jobs.

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday informed the Senate that there was no restriction or ban on admissions of Baloch students in Punjab’s public sector universities.

Hours after he was notified as the opposition leader in the Senate on Tuesday, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas met lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, expressing solidarity with them and ruing that “dissent has been made a crime” in the country. The meeting took place at the office of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) president, following which a statement on Abbas’s X account detailed his media talk after his interaction with the lawyers. The post quoted him as saying that Pakistan was currently going through a “severe crisis”. “Unfortunately, the country seems to be heading in a direction where fundamental rights of people, constitutional guarantees and human dignity are being continuously violated. The real tragedy is that those who have the power and authority are the ones ruthlessly crushing the state’s soft power. “Today, civil society, lawyers, human rights organisations and every other voice that raises awareness and questions is being p...

ISLAMABAD: Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas was appointed as the opposition leader in the Senate on Tuesday. Abbas — vice chairman of Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) — had been chosen by PTI founder Imran Khan as the opposition’s choice for the seat, which had been vacant since August 2025. “In pursuance of sub-rule (3) of Rule 16 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012, the chairman Senate has been pleased to declare Senator Raja Nasir Abbas as leader of the opposition in the Senate, with immediate effect,” said a notification issued by the Senate Secretariat. Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani also announced Abbas’s appointment as the opposition leader during Tuesday’s session in the House. As the proceedings began, he said: “I want to give a ruling. Before proceeding further, I consider it necessary to place on record the legal and procedural background relating to the declaration of the leader of the opposition in the Senate. “Rule 16 o...

ISLAMABAD: Alarm bells were rung in the Senate on Monday over the recently launched military operation in the Tirah area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber tribal district. Speaking on a point of public importance, ANP chief Senator Aimal Wali Khan accused the federal government of being in a “deep slumber” over the ongoing operation in KP, leaving the people helpless and clueless. He said such “processes” had been carried out in the past in KP with all stakeholders on board. “But this time, the Centre is sleeping, whereas the provincial government is unbothered about what is going on,” he added. “The federal government is behaving as if KP is out of its jurisdiction, and the provincial government is headed by one who is openly talking against the system and is not ready to accept any operation,” he contended. “Please leave aside day-to-day things and talk about this operation, as the KP government is not even bothered to arrange tents for the displaced people,” he said. Senator Palwasha asks for her privilege mo...

ISLAMABAD: PTI Senator Ali Zafar said on Monday that Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani had communicated to him that Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas would be notified as the opposition leader in the upper house of Parliament by tomorrow (Tuesday). Speaking to Dawn, Zafar said he had submitted a letter to the Senate chairperson, seeking the appointment of Abbas. According to the PTI senator, Gilani had accepted the opposition’s demand of appointing Abbas to the vacant position and said that an announcement about his appointment would also be made in the House. In a post on X, Zafar said that he had a meeting with the Senate chairman regarding the appointment of the opposition leader. “[The] chairman informed me that he has approved the appointment and directed the secretariat to issue a formal notification,” Zafar said. He welcomed the decision, saying that the party would be able convey its perspective in the Senate more effectively. The opposition leader’s posts in the Senate an...

Senate may get new opposition leader today

Senior PTI leaders imprisoned in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on Saturday demanded that Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas be appointed the Senate opposition leader immediately. In a letter seen by Dawn, PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Umar Sarfraz Cheema congratulated veteran politician Mehmood Khan Achakzai on his appointment as the opposition leader in the National Assembly after a months-long delay. The letter was shared with the media by their counsel, Rana Mudassir. The PTI leaders hoped Achakzai, under the guidance of party founder Imran Khan, would fulfil his responsibility in restoring democracy and the Constitution, ensuring the rule of law, the supremacy of the judiciary and the protection of the fundamental rights of the people and political workers. They also hoped that Achakzai would hold consultations on lifting Pakistan out of the quagmire and economic crisis it has been dealing with for the p...

Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani has called on the National Assembly (NA) speaker and Senate chairman to appoint opposition leaders in both houses of Parliament, saying that leaving the posts vacant “sidelines dissent”. The posts have been lying vacant since August last year, when then-opposition leaders in the NA and Senate — PTI’s Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz — were disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan following their conviction in cases related to riots on May 9, 2023. The PTI has nominated Pakhtun­khwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the opposition leader for the NA and Majlis Wahdat-i-Musl­imeen’s Allama Raja Nasir Abbas for the Senate slot, but their notification remains pending. Rabbani pointed out in a statement on Monday that “Parliament is incomplete”, adding that “this exposes a contradiction in our democracy”. “We talk of the supremacy of Parliament, yet less inclined to uphold this principle,” he added. Saying that the “political system is already strained by pola...

ISLAMABAD: In a move billed by its sponsors as reaffirming parliament’s supremacy, a process has been initiated to amend a Senate rule to limit the scope for high courts to intervene in parliamentary affairs. Amid opposition from the Ministry of Parl­ia­mentary Affairs, the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges has approved an amendment to Rule 166(5) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate. Backers say the change will leave no legal room for the judiciary to interfere in parliamentary matters by relying on the rule in its present form. The proposed amendment, spearheaded by former deputy chairman Saleem Mandviwalla and signed by around three dozen lawmakers, expands the definition of public petitions that can be taken up by Senate committees. It states that a public petition, submitted by a citizen or a group of citizens in the prescribed form under Rule 277, may be presented on “any matter of public importance”, including grievances arising from disputes wher...

PPP leader Sherry Rehman has said that Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan must apologise following his heated exchange with Senator Palwasha Khan during a Senate panel meeting on Friday. Pal­washa, who is also a PPP leader, and the federal minister had traded sharp remarks on Friday over the construction of a road allegedly benefiting a private housing society during a meeting of the Senate Stan­ding Committee on Com­mu­ni­cations. View this post on Instagram In a post on the social media platform X late on Friday night, Rehman said, “What happened today in a Senate standing committee can neither become normalised nor considered acceptable. No federal minister should speak the way Aleem Khan did with Senator Palwasha in a communications committee meeting.” Rehman further said that it was Senator Palwasha’s “absolute responsibility and right to ask questions” and to hold the government accountable. “He must apologise. I am not even going to say that it is necessary because she is a woman. She is due ...