ISLAMABAD: The Senate has decided to form an Ethics Committee for the accountability of the members of the upper house.
The decision was taken in a session chaired by Chairman Raza Rabbani, on Wednesday.
Responsible for the public code of conduct of the senators, the committee will review complaints filed against them, along with ensuring implementation on various issues.
The ‘Draft Rules on the Procedure for the Committee on Ethics’ stated that any citizen will be able to file a complaint against a member of the Senate, adding senators will also be able to file petitions against each other.
Once a petition is accepted, the committee will probe into the matter, and subsequently will present an investigation report be before the upper house.
The committee, which will be headed by Senate Deputy Chairman Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, is to consist of members of the Senate’s Business Advisory Committee.
In the absence of the deputy chairman, the body will be headed by Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq; in case of Haq’s absence, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Aitzaz Ahsan, the leader of the opposition, will chair the committee sessions.