ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani has expressed resentment on Wednesday after the in-camera briefing that Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa gave to the Whole Committee of the Senate was made public and was widely commentated about on television channels.
A decision of the Senate authority to forward the issue to House Business Advisory Committee for required action was taken a day after Army chief’s four-hour-long visit to the Senate, during which he briefed the Whole Committee for an hour and answered questions posed by the senators for at least three hours.
Reportedly, senators have alleged one member of the house to have ‘leaked’ the information.
Senate chairman has said that privilege of Senate was compromised and it is saddening that one member made details of the briefing and General Bajwa’s visit public. “If this is how it was to turn out, the Senate might as well had allowed media to cover the developments,” lamented Senate chairman.
“Which institution or a head of an institution would agree to an in-camera briefing after the incident,” Senate chairman rhetorically asked.
Rabbani said that he believes in freedom of the press and that the responsibility lies with the senators.
While answering to the objection raised by Senator Nauman Wazir, Senate chairman said that Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) did not reveal details of the General Bajwa’s meeting with the senators.
