The dispute surrounding roadblocks impeding a Senate session has taken a new twist as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has raised legal concerns regarding the alleged withdrawal of signatures by five members, whose identities have not been officially disclosed by the Senate Secretariat.
In a letter addressed to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, PPP Senator Taj Haider, who had submitted a requisition signed by 28 members, expressed that he was informed by the secretariat that the requisition did not meet the requirement for the number of members necessary to summon a Senate session.
Senator Haider also referred to a telephonic conversation with Mr. Sanjrani, during which it was conveyed that five senators who had signed the requisition had withdrawn their signatures.
Despite his written request, the letter dated September 25 did not mention the names of the senators who allegedly withdrew their signatures.
Senator Haider raised several legal questions, even if it is assumed for a moment that the withdrawal of signatures is correct. He emphasized that neither the Constitution nor the Senate’s rules of procedure and conduct of business provide for the withdrawal of signatures from a requisition after validly signing it.
He also questioned whether the alleged withdrawal by five senators had been submitted to the Senate Secretariat in writing or only through a telephone call.
Additionally, he sought clarification on whether the secretariat had asked the senators to submit their withdrawals in writing, given that it was a legal and constitutional matter.
Senator Haider argued that the Senate Secretariat or the office of the Senate chairman should not take on the role of an adjudicator for withdrawals, as it is not granted by the Constitution or Senate rules.
He pointed out that under Article 54(3) of the Constitution and Senate Rule 3, it is the constitutional duty of the Senate chairman to summon the Senate within 14 days when a requisition signed by the required members is submitted.
The Senate Secretariat, on the other hand, argues that the requisition has become obsolete. In response, the Senate Secretariat stated that five members withdrew their signatures through written withdrawal letters addressed to the Senate chairman, explicitly stating that the requisition to the extent of their signatures should be treated as withdrawn.
The Secretariat contends that after the withdrawal of signatures by these five members out of the 28 signatories, the constitutional requirement for the number of signatories is not met, rendering the earlier requisition obsolete. However
