By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Senate has conveyed to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global body repre-senting national parliaments, that Pakistan’s legislative assembly will exercise authority in the ap-pointment of ministers and cabinet members in the forthcoming periods, it emerged on Friday.
According to a report submitted to the IPU, the upper house of the parliament has underscored its commitment to bolstering the Senate’s role in matters concerning the Money Bill (budget).
Furthermore, it has assured the IPU of efforts to align Pakistan’s domestic legal framework with inter-national human rights standards.
In addition, the Senate has apprised the global forum that it will introduce a constitutional or legal pro-vision related to conflicts of interest, which would require lawmakers to declare sponsored travel and accommodation.
Moreover, it vowed to regulate the practice of lobbying by individuals or groups, each with varying and specific interests, which attempt to influence decisions taken at the legislative level. The details emerged after the Senate identified at least 14 opportunities to strengthen parliament and submitted the report to the IPU.
Currently, the National Assembly’s website states that members of the cabinet are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, saying in the formation of the cabinet the major portion (75%), goes to the National Assembly while the rest (25%) are taken from the Senate.
It further added that the National Assembly has an edge over the Senate by legislating exclusively on money matters. With exception to money bills, however, both houses work together to carry out the basic work of the Parliament, i.e. law-making.
The other goals include: establishing a parliamentary budget office; establishing a bureau as the collec-tive governing body of parliament, with representation from both houses; establishing legal provisions relating to equal physical and online access to the parliamentary building, its processes and proceed-ings, for all citizens, regardless of disability or other special needs.
Furthermore, the Senate aims at developing an impact assessment manual, guide or similar document that establishes procedures and criteria for assessing the impacts that a proposal for a law, a pro-gramme or a policy might have on different groups, and potentially entrusting such assessments to a dedicated body.
It also eyes on devising policies and/or plans on gender mainstreaming and considering the gender lens when formulating parliamentary policies; holding workshops or dialogue sessions for senators and secretariat staff on bringing gender-responsive budgeting into the mainstream; and periodically as-sessing gender balance in the secretariat to ensure the effectiveness of related policies, particularly at senior levels
