12 govt, 11 private members bills passed by Senate in 2024-25

ISLAMABAD: The Senate, during the recently concluded parliamentary year, passed 12 government and 11 private members’ bills, as it met for 111 working days and held 12 sessions, with 313 out of 809 admitted questions were replied to and 60 deferred.

The Senate secretariat has released annual parliamentary report of 2024-25, which has as many as 24 chapters, covering the House’s legislation, oversight and other business transacted during the year.

This period saw significant parliamentary contributions, legislative advancements and efforts to strengthen democratic governance. The report encapsulates the work done till the completion of the parliamentary year on 11th March 2025, covering the 347th Senate session.

It also mentions ten top senators who were present during the most of sittings.

They include Syed Masroor Ahsan (62 days), Kamil Ali Agha, Hidayatullah Khan, Nadeem Ahmad Bhutto, Ms. Husna (59 days each), Dost Ali Jassar (58 days), Shahadat Awan (57 days), Poonjo Bheel (57 days), Pervaiz Rasheed (56 days) and Khalil Tahir (54 days).

During this period, 12 Senate sessions and 3 joint sittings were held, totalling 111 working days. A total of 17 government bills were introduced, out of which 12 passed and 42 private members’ bills were introduced, out of which 11 passed. The Senate also passed the widely-discussed 26th Constitutional Amendment.

Similarly, a total of 1,057 starred questions were received, out of which 809 were admitted, 195 disallowed, and 53 lapsed. Of the admitted questions, 313 were replied to, while 60 were deferred. Likewise, 111 un-starred questions were received, with 55 admitted, 50 disallowed and 23 replied to.

The Upper House also handled 116 resolutions, of which 43 were admitted, 52 disallowed, and 17 successfully passed. Notably, these resolutions covered a range of critical issues, including national security, international relations, infrastructure development, and human rights. Additionally, a motion under Rule 60 was received, but lapsed.

Besides, adoption of 12 government bills and 11 private members’ bills, the House also dealt with critical areas such as digital governance, electoral reforms, labour rights, and human trafficking. The legislative interventions made during the parliamentary year pertained to combating human trafficking, legislation for protecting victims of violence and also introducing systems for e-governance and digital security besides using other parliamentary tools to voice concerns for the rights of Kashmiris and Palestinians, climate action and electoral integrity.

The Senate also encouraged women’s active role in national development by incorporating more gender-responsive legislation particularly focusing on protection against harassment. Lady Senators took active part in debates, discussions and introduced some important legislation.

Internationally, the Upper House remained actively engaged with parliaments to promote bilateral and multilateral ties, institutional collaboration relying on parliamentary diplomacy. Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani led delegations to different countries which included the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Austria, Ireland, and Azerbaijan.

High level engagements during these visits focused on diversifying linkages while emphasizing the greater role of parliamentary friendship groups to promote people to people contacts.

The Senate also hosted Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, and the Spanish parliamentary delegation in Pakistan during the year. Leader of the Russian delegation also addressed the Members of the House. The Senate also played an active role on the 15th Plenary of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly in Baku, Azerbaijan, where high level interactions mainly focused on exploring new avenues of cooperation and promoting regional peace stability.

The Senate emphasized legislative reforms, digital transformation and parliamentary diplomacy. Efforts were also directed at judicial transparency and economic revitalisation.

The report covers processing various motions, calling attention notices, privilege motions and adjournment motions. Under Rule 218, 146 motions were received. Of these, 87 motions lapsed despite admission, while only one was referred to the Senate Standing Committee.

Similarly, 192 Calling Attention Notices were submitted. Of these, 25 were discussed in the House, while 33 were disallowed. The year also saw eight privilege motions, with four referred to the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privilege. Additionally, 29 adjournment motions were filed.

The report reflects the performance and highlights the significant contributions of the Senate Committees in legislative oversight, policy development and governance improvements across various sectors in Pakistan.

Throughout the year, Standing, Functional, Parliamentary, Special, and other Committees actively engaged in addressing key national issues, proposing legislative amendments, and ensuring accountability in public administration.

A total of 39 standing and functional committees were active, conducting a total of 242 meetings during the period. Chapter 9 highlights the Senate of Pakistan’s active engagement in global parliamentary diplomacy.

The IPR Branch facilitated Pakistan’s representation in major international parliamentary forums, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA). The IPR coordinated 26 parliamentary delegations for outbound visits.

The formation of 76 Parliamentary Friendship Groups and the signing of an MoU with the Russian Federation underscored efforts to enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation. A significant highlight of the report is the extensive diplomatic outreach of Chairman Senate, who undertook multiple high-level visits to strengthen Pakistan’s global relations.