Fifty senators are going to retire on March 12 after completing their six-year term, though some of them have already made it again in the March 2 Senate elections. Some of those re-elected in the recently-held Senate elections are Muhammad Ishaq Dar (PML-N), Babar Awan (PPP), Raza Rabbani (PPP), Tahir Hussain Mashhadi (MQM), Abdul Hafeez Shaikh (PPP), Talha Mahmood (MMA), and Ilyas Ahmed Bilour (ANP).
The Upper House would meet here tomorrow (Tuesday) in what is traditionally called the farewell meeting. The senators would praise and acknowledge the services of the retiring ones, irrespective of the services they rendered for the nation during the six years before bidding them farewell.
A resolution moved under Clause 120 (l) of the Senate Rule by senators Ishaq Dar, Raja Zafrul Haq and Prof Khurshid Ahmad against the US interference in the internal affairs of the country has the potential to create ugly scenes and division amongst the members with senators particularly from Balochistan opposing it and the rest of the House supporting the same.
The resolution, according to Senate sources reads, “The Senate of Pakistan condemns in strongest terms the increasing interference of the United States in the internal affairs of Pakistan. Uninterrupted, consistent and direct violations of our sovereignty and territorial integrity, drone attacks and grass infringement of our airspace are virtual acts of war. The introduction of a bill in the Congress by three Congressmen seeking alleged right of self-determination for Balochistan is a latest act of aggression. The timing of this irresponsible and outrageous move is also significant as it coincides with the Pak-Afghan-Iran Summit to seek regional solution to the Afghan imbroglio and withdrawal of foreign troops from the area. The people of Pakistan regard all these as acts of illegal interventions in our affairs and demand that the government of Pakistan to forcefully condemn these war-like acts of the US and review and restructure its relationships with the US in order to protect Pakistan’s independence, sovereignty and vital national interests and the wishes of the people. The Senate also demands that the government must take immediate steps, including holding of an all-parties conference and engagement with all stakeholders in Balochistan to seek resolution of all problems through dialogue and justice-based mutual accommodation”.
According to sources, the resolution was submitted during the previous session of the Senate but the movers did not press it in face of the opposition from the Balochistan senators.
