The Senate has completed its first parliamentary year with 70% of its business still pending, as revealed in a performance report released by the Senate Secretariat on Friday.
The year spanning March 12, 2024, to March 11, 2025, was marked by legislative inefficiencies, quorum issues, and the prolonged vacancy of 11 Senate seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which is governed by the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose chairman, Imran Khan, remains imprisoned.
Despite holding 12 sessions spanning 111 days, the Senate was able to function for only 66 days, excluding weekends and public holidays. A special session was convened at the end of the year to meet the minimum constitutional requirement of 110 days, but it had to be adjourned indefinitely due to a lack of quorum.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani declared the year "excellent,” citing progress on key legislation. However, opposition leaders criticized the government’s performance, pointing to the high percentage of unfinished business and constitutional lapses.
Vacant KP seats
The parliamentary year began with the postponement of elections for 11 senators from KP. Those seats remained vacant throughout the year, raising serious concerns about provincial representation in the upper house of the parliament.
The opposition leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz questioned the legal validity of decisions made without full Senate membership. "Article 59 guarantees equal representation for all provinces. How was the election of the chairman and deputy chairman even valid without proportional representation?” he asked.
He also raised concerns about the tenure of the missing senators if they are elected in the second year. "Even if the senators from KP come today, how will their term be six years? And what will be the legal standing of the laws passed without them?”
Quorum issues and legislative deadlock
Quorum issues repeatedly disrupted Senate proceedings. The government used quorum tactics to block an opposition resolution against the controversial PECA Amendment Act 2025, which grants authorities sweeping powers over digital content.
When the opposition had more votes than the government, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar pointed out the quorum issue, leading Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir to adjourn the session.
A similar tactic was used to block the State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill, which the opposition was set to pass. The bill had enough support in the house, but the law minister raised objections over the voting method, and the deputy chairman prevented the vote count from proceeding.
Pending legislation
While the Senate managed to pass 44 government bills, private members’ business suffered. The report noted that 96 private bills remained pending in standing committees and Senate sessions.
The government introduced 12 new bills in the Senate, all of which were passed, while 22 additional bills that had already cleared the National Assembly also received Senate approval. However, 1057 questions were submitted to the Senate Secretariat throughout the year, with only 313 receiving answers.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani issued production orders twice for detained PTI Senator Ijaz Chaudhry, but the Punjab jail administration refused to produce him. In response, Gilani boycotted two Senate sessions in protest. He later resubmitted a privilege motion over the issue.
During the final session, Gilani once again issued production orders for both Chaudhry and newly arrested PTI Senator Aun Abbas Bappi. While Bappi was allowed to attend, Chaudhry was once again not presented. Gilani referred the matter to the Privileges Committee, calling the refusal to comply with the production order an "insult to parliament.”
Suspensions, walkouts, and opposition protests
Throughout the year, opposition members staged protests against what they called government overreach and procedural manipulation. Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir suspended three PTI members over continuous sloganeering and disruptions.
Despite protests, the government pushed through several key bills, including the 26th Constitutional Amendment and legislation extending service periods for the Army, Navy, and Air Force chiefs. These were passed in record time, even as opposition parties alleged coercion and pressure tactics to secure votes.
The opposition repeatedly questioned the validity of these laws, especially in light of the Senate’s incomplete composition. "What will be the legal standing of constitutional amendments passed without full provincial representation?” Faraz asked.
The Senate Secretariat received 473 public petitions over the year, forwarding 83 to the relevant standing committees. However, legislative response to public concerns remained slow.
Additionally, Senate delegations made 26 international trips, participating in parliamentary workshops and conferences abroad. Critics argue that despite these engagements, the Senate failed to address key governance challenges at home.
Committee performance and procedural inefficiencies
According to the report, Senate standing committees also faced challenges in completing their tasks. The Finance and Revenue Committee held the most meetings (26), followed by the Planning and Development Committee (12).
However, some committees, such as the Anti-Narcotics Committee and the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, held as few as two or three meetings throughout the year.
The report also showed that:
- Of 116 resolutions submitted by government and opposition lawmakers, only 17 were approved.
- 192 attention notices were submitted, but only 25 were discussed in the Senate, while 93 lapsed.
- The Senate Secretariat received 146 motions, but only nine made it to the floor for discussion.
Government defends performance
Despite the inefficiencies outlined in the report, Senate Chairman Gilani defended the upper house’s performance. "The Senate remained steadfast in its constitutional responsibility throughout the year. As the House of Federation, it is committed to promoting national unity,” he said.
He also stressed that the Senate upheld democratic principles and ensured strong parliamentary oversight. "The 2024-25 parliamentary year has been excellent. I have fulfilled my responsibilities as chairman, and I am committed to strengthening parliamentary democracy,” he said.
However, opposition leaders remain unconvinced.
"The government has failed to perform its constitutional duties,” Faraz said. "Even today, the Election Commission of Pakistan has not held elections for the vacant KP seats, and yet laws continue to be passed as if the Senate is functioning normally.”
