ISLAMABAD: The Senate has assumed its role of providing policy guidelines to the government for adopting a robust strategy in the latest situation developing between India and Pakistan.
The Senate Committee of the Whole House held an in-camera meeting Thursday chaired by Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani to seek briefing from the government on the situation between India and Pakistan.
The Committee took serious note of grave human rights violations in the Indian occupied Kashmir and recent incidents of LoC violations committed by India.
Leaders from all parliamentary parties present at the meeting were briefed by Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence along with Secretary Defence and Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs.
Both the Defense Minister and the Advisor informed the committee about the latest situation between India and Pakistan and steps being taken by the government in this regard.
The briefings were followed by extensive questions and answers session.
After detailed and extensive deliberations, the Chairman Senate constituted a drafting committee to prepare draft policy guidelines and bring the same before the Committee of Whole by Monday, October 03, 2016.
The 13-member drafting committee comprises Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Sirajul Haq, Senator Col (Retd) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Senator Dr. Jahanzeb Jamaldini, Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, Senator Lt. Gen. (Retd) Abdul Qayyum, Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Senator Lt. General (Retd) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah and Senator Muhammad Mohsin Khan.
It is mentioned that previously, the House had referred the matter of Indus Water Treaty to the Standing Committee on Water and Power for submitting its report to the Committee of Whole constituted to “prepare policy guidelines in the light of emerging regional realities” by October 03, 2016.
Next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday, October 04, 2016 to finalize the policy guidelines. —APP
