ISLAMABAD: Five senators, from different political parties, participated in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting and took active part in discussions on different matters, for the first time in Pakistan’s parliamentary history.
The senators who attended the PAC meeting on Tuesday in the parliamentary house included Shery Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Mushahid Hussain Syed from Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Ch Tanvir Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muhammad Azam Khan Swati from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Hidayatullah from the federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The move has a long history of difficulty in the implementation of the Constitutional Scheme, wherein, the auditor general of Pakistan is under obligation to present the annual report relating to the accounts of the federation in both houses of parliament. The report was being scrutinised by a committee of one house only i.e. the standing committee on public accounts of the national assembly. Moreover, there has been a long standing demand from various segments of society that the senate, being the house of federation, should have a role and say in financial matters.
Therefore, the senate took the initiative of fighting for the inclusion of members in the Public Accounts Committee. The struggle for inclusion had been going on for over a period of three years when, in a landmark development in the parliament, the senate on 28th July, 2016, adopted a motion, approving amendments for giving representation to members of the upper house of parliament in the PAC.
The Senate Secretariat appreciated the efforts of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for his cooperation in the landmark achievement, which would help in strengthening democracy and participatory federalism in the country.
