Mehtab Pirzada

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 stays on the cases and petitions admitted by the chairman,” he pointed out, adding that there had been “back and forth on the amendment for months”.

“We do not want to delay it any further.”

But, Sanaullah asked what the urgency was.

In response, Mandviwala said the functioning of the committees was getting affected. “The amendment is in the interest of Senate and its committees, and it has already been unanimously approved by the standing committee concerned,” he contended.

Stressing that it was desire of the House, Mandviwala said he had already discussed it with the law minister and the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP).

However, Sanaullah insisted that the matter be deferred till Monday.

But, Mandviwala did not budge, asking Sanaullah not to insist for the amendment’s deferment.

“I have to proceed [with the session],” he said, asking Senator Abdul Qadir to move the motion, which was passed by the House by a majority vote.