ISLAMABAD: Frustrated Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Friday registered his protest by suspending his official duties.
Rabbani also offered to resign, citing “non-serious and irresponsible behaviour” of members of the House as the reason.
Postponing the session for an indefinite period, Rabbani said that he was unable to maintain the integrity and constitutional position of the House, and “leaves the decision up to the members” regarding his resignation.
Rabbani was pointing at the continued absence of federal ministers from the sessions despite repeated warnings. “There is no use of serving as the chairman of the House without powers,” he said.
Rabbani added that he was postponing his forthcoming visit to Iran in protest.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with the federal government’s performance, saying that if there were any reservations within the government regarding his performance, they should be brought on record.
He said that if the government would not let him exercise his authority, he had no business holding the Senate chairman’s position and should be asked to resign.
Rabbani left the Senate in his own car instead of his official vehicle, leaving behind his security detail amidst protests from the Senate secretary.
Meanwhile, Senator Rehman Malik said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should tender an apology over the irresponsible, undemocratic and non-parliamentary behaviour of the ministers. He went on to add that a sit-in would be staged outside the Parliament House if the ministers did not change their attitude towards the sessions.
Raza Rabbani, who took oath as chairman of the Upper House of parliament in March 2015, said he “hoped to come up to the expectations of those who have bestowed upon me this enormous responsibility”.
