'Unfair' protocol hierarchy draws Senate panel's ire

ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Tuesday called for broad changes to the Warrant of Precedence, saying elected representatives should be placed higher in the state protocol hierarchy to better reflect parliament’s constitutional position.

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat said the existing arrangement diminished the standing of public representatives and should be revised in line with democratic norms. Members argued that parliament embodies the sovereign will of the people and that lawmakers should therefore be accorded protocol consistent with their legislative role. The proposed changes are aimed at ensuring elected office-holders rank above unelected bureaucrats at official ceremonies and state functions.

During the discussion, the committee pointed to what it described as anomalies in the current framework. Senator Anusha Rehman, who had moved the agenda item, questioned the long delay in revisiting the Warrant of Precedence and noted that several constitutional office-holders, including the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and the chief election commissioner, were still ranked above elected members of parliament.

The committee was told that a review body set up under the secretary of the Cabinet Division had not met for a considerable time because of the sensitive nature of the issue, which requires deliberation at the highest level. Officials also informed members that recommendations were under consideration at the Prime Minister’s Office.

After deliberations, committee chairman Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan decided to write to the prime minister to seek reconstitution of the review committee under the law minister, with representation from both the Senate and the National Assembly, for a comprehensive reassessment of the framework. He also proposed a joint meeting with the National Assembly standing committee to address an issue that has remained unresolved since 2008.

Private members’ bills discussed

The committee also took up private members’ bills at the meeting chaired by Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan. On the National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, representatives of the law division said that under Article 144 of the Constitution, any amendment concerning provincial subjects could only be made after all provincial assemblies pass resolutions to that effect.

Committee members observed that the proposed amendments were mainly intended to strengthen oversight of disaster management funds. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri stressed the need for the Auditor General of Pakistan to audit the provincial disaster management authorities. Officials responded that within the existing constitutional framework, the National Disaster Management Authority could create a suitable coordination mechanism to improve oversight. The committee later decided to refer the bill to the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination for wider consultation with the provinces.

Members also considered the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to allow government employees the option of receiving their contributory amount at retirement or leaving those contributions in place for the benefit of their families. Officials opposed the move on financial grounds and said the current arrangement functions as a humanitarian support system for families of deceased or incapacitated government employees.

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri proposed setting up a sub-committee to review the existing scheme and suggest suitable reforms.