ISLAMABAD: The Senate in its first sitting since installation of the caretaker set-up in the country on Friday unanimously passed a resolution “condemning India over brutal state terrorism” in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, but without holding a debate on the matter after the senators decided not to take up any agenda item to pay homage to two colleagues, who died recently.

The upper house of parliament had been requisitioned to discuss the Gaza situation after the government showed reluctance in calling the regular session, but Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani at the outset announced that members would only be allowed to deliver speeches to pay tribute to the late PML-N Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed and former Senator S.M. Zafar.

The chairman declared that the house would formally begin a debate on the Gaza situation on Monday.

A couple of senators regretted that they were “powerless” and could do nothing, except passing resolutions condemning Israel and India.

Members abandon debate on occupied territory and Palestine issues to pay homage to late colleagues

Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam said they had called the Senate session to discuss the Gaza situation two weeks after the Israeli assault on Palestinians.

While paying tribute to the late senators, some of the members belonging to the PPP and PTI talked about some political issues, but they were barred by the chairman.

In their speeches, PPP’s Raza Rab­bani and Nisar Khuhro expressed concerns over the prevailing political un­­certainty in the country and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce the date for general elections in the country.

PTI Senator Waleed Iqbal while paying homage to the late senators hit out at PML-N’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif over his controversial remarks about women during his speech at a Minar-i-Pakistan rally on Oct 21.

Mr Sharif had compared the PML-N’s women supporters with PTI’s without naming the party, implying his supporters were more “decent”.

While referring to Rana Maqbool, PTI’s Waleed Iqbal stated that the late senator respected women and he should have taught his leader how to respect women.

Raza Rabbani said S.M. Zafar must have been in great pain in his last days after seeing the ECP’s failure to anno­unce elections within 90 days as per the Constitution. He also took the caretaker government to task for not convening a regular session of the Senate.

The house later passed two resolutions to pay homage to the late senators. The resolution on Rana Maqbool was read out by Leader of the House and former finance minister Ishaq Dar whereas PML-Q Senator Kamil Ali Agha presented the resolution paying tributes to S.M. Zafar.

The previous session of the Senate was held on Aug 9. While two attempts were made by PPP to convene a session in September, both were blocked through controversial rejection of its requisitions.

Resolution on Kashmir

As soon as Mr Agha finished reading the resolution on S.M. Zafar, the chairman asked him to also table the resolution on Kashmir as the session coincided with the observance of Black Day in the country to mark India’s occupation of the Valley in 1947.

“Your voice should reach New Delhi,” said Mr Sanjrani while asking Mr Agha to read out the resolution loudly.

Through the resolution, the senators asked the international community for the expedited formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate “gross human rights violations” in India-held Kashmir.

The resolution rejected the conduct of “fake elections” in India-held Kashmir, adding these actions violated the UN Security Council resolutions which stipulate that the final disposition of the dispute would be made in accordance with the will of local people through a free and impartial plebiscite to be conducted under the UN auspices.

The Senate will now meet at 2.30pm on Monday.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2023