Senators demand share in PAC Chairpersonship

ISLAMABAD: The Senators on Monday unanimously demanded share in Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairpersonship on rotation basis for a period of two and a half years each from both of the Houses of the Parliament.

The Upper House of the Parliament passed a resolution to rotate the members of Senate and the National Assembly for Chairpersonship of Public Accounts Committee for its half terms respectively.

Senator Zeshan Khanzada on behalf of other Senators including Mian Raza Rabbani, Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, Naseebullah Bazai, Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Saifullah Abro, Dilawar Khan, Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Sana Jamali, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Taj Haider, Hidayat ullah Khan, Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Manzoor Ahmed, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Zeeshan Khan Zada and Danesh Kumar moved the resolution.

The resolution states that “The Constitution of Pakistan creates two co-equals House of the Parliament, the Senate- providing equal and adequate representation to the federating units hence creating equality amongst the provinces and the National Assembly-allocating seats on the basis of population hence providing the principle of majority.

The Constitution empowers the Parliament to exercise parliamentary oversight on public exchequer to ensure transparency and accountability in the public spending.

The Public Accounts Committee acts as extension of the both Houses of the Parliament to effectively carry out the scrutiny and oversight on public exchequer by examining auditor general’s report relating to the Accounts of Federation laid before the both the Houses of the Parliament and other related matters.

As per the Constitutional scheme, the Senate promotes national cohesion and harmony by alleviating fears of the smaller provinces regarding domination by largely populated provinces in the National Assembly.

It is expedient to provide adequate representation to the Members of Senate in the Chairpersonship of PAC to ensure that diversity present in the Senate is recognized and respected; and whereas rotation of Chair of PAC amongst the both Houses of Parliament will ensure that no part of the country is left without adequate representation in the state institutions, more so, in the ethnically diversified state like Pakistan.

Therefore the Senate of Pakistan hereby resolves that the Chairpersonship of PAC shall be rotated/shared amongst the Members of Senate and National Assembly for its half terms for a period of two and a half years, respectively”

Earlier, Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan said as per rules and procedure PAC falls in the jurisdiction of the National Assembly so matter should be settled through dialogue rather moving a resolution before the Senate.

Leader of the Opposition Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem said Senate performance regarding financial matters has been remained outstanding so resolution should be passed to empower the Upper House.

Haji Hidayatullah Khan supported the resolution, saying that it was a legitimate demand by the Senators.