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ISLAMABAD: The Senate of Pakistan passed a total of 43 bills during the parliamentary year that concluded on Monday (March 11), says a report released by the Senate Secretariat.
According to the ‘Comprehensive Annual Report on the Completion of Parliamentary Year 2023-24’, there are 56 bills pending before various house committees “due to technical reasons”.
The data provided in the report shows that the upper house of the parliament remained in session for a total of 152 hours and 58 minutes with an average of two hours and 35 minutes per sitting during the year
Among the 43 bills passed by the Senate, 14 were government bills whereas 29 had been piloted by various senators as private member’s bills.
The government laid only one ordinance before the house during the last year.
The report says three government and 53 private member’s bills were pending before various standing committees.
It says that a total of 99 private members’ and 14 government bills had been introduced in the Senate during the last year.
It says that a total of 31 private members’ bills were received from the National Assembly, which were lapsed and returned to the National Assembly on its dissolution.
According to the report, an average of 55 per cent of senators remained in attendance during the sittings.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Shahadat Awan remained at the top of the list of the senators with most attendance as he attended 63 sittings, followed by Tahir Bizenjo of the National Party (NP) who attended 61 sittings and Kamran Murtaza of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) with 59 sittings.
The senators submitted a total of 2,015 starred questions, out of which 1,454 were admitted, 271 were disallowed and 290 lapsed due to “repetition/irrelevance”.
The house received replies of 525 questions and 26 of them were referred to the concerned committees for further deliberations and necessary actions.
The report claims that during the last parliamentary year, a total of 65 points of public importance raised by the members were addressed, showcasing the Senate’s responsiveness to the concerns and needs of the public.
A total of 290 meetings of various standing committees of the house were held throughout the year with Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue leading in terms of number of meetings as it held 30 sittings.
Furthermore, the report delves into the performance reports of various departments within the Senate Secretariat, highlighting areas of improvement and ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency.
Apart from that, during the parliamentary year 2023-24, a total of 710 public petitions were received by the Senate Secretariat. After approval by the Senate chairman on admissibility, 145 petitions were referred to various house committees.
Out of these, 60 petitions were disposed of by the committees and 85 are still with committees to be finalised.
As many as 565 petitions were found inadmissible after scrutiny.
The data shows that 77 public petitions were referred to the standing committee on interior, 19 to the committee on education and and 15 to the standing committee on Power.
The report termed the performance of the committees as “outstanding”, stating that the commitment of the committee members “has been instrumental in advancing the legislative agenda and addressing critical national issues”.
The report claims the year was marked by remarkable accomplishments and steadfast dedication to the nation.
It underscores the relentless efforts and exemplary work of the Senate, emphasising the outstanding performance of its Standing Committees.
“Initiatives such as the first-time live ticker during Senate sessions, the upgrading of broadcasting and post-production facilities, and web-casting of the Senate YouTube Channel reflect the Senate’s commitment to embracing digital transformation,” says the report, adding that “the Senate of Pakistan also takes pride in its active engagement with international delegations and the initiation of Parliamentary Diplomacy initiatives, contributing to fostering diplomatic relations and promoting collaboration on global issues”.