Islamabad, December 19, 2025: The Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges on Friday strongly reaffirmed parliamentary supremacy, passed a key amendment by majority vote and decided to summon the Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) over the continued non-withdrawal of FIRs registered against students.
The meeting, held at Parliament House, was chaired by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi and attended by Senators Saadia Abbasi, Dost Ali Jeesar, Asad Qasim, Jan Muhammad and Palwasha Khan. Senators Saleem Mandviwalla, Shahadat Awan and Syed Masroor Ahsan participated as movers, while Senator Bilal Khan Mandokhail attended as a special invitee.
During the proceedings, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla raised serious concerns over what he described as direct judicial interference in the functioning of parliamentary committees. He stressed that courts had no authority to interfere in parliamentary affairs and recalled that the Supreme Court had repeatedly directed that parliamentary proceedings should not be obstructed. He urged the Senate not to compromise the powers and authority of its committees, emphasising that committees, as representatives of the public and oversight bodies of the House, must remain fully empowered to take up matters of public importance.
Chairman Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi reiterated that Parliament was the supreme institution and that its organs must be sufficiently empowered to effectively address issues concerning citizens. However, he cautioned that committees must strictly avoid taking up or discussing matters that were sub judice.
Ms Rabeea Anwar, Specialist on Parliamentary Laws and Procedures, along with a panel of officers, gave a detailed briefing on the proposed amendment, outlining its pros and cons. Senator Saadia Abbasi expressed reservations, stating that every institution must operate within its constitutional domain and avoid encroaching upon the functions of others. Despite her opposition, the majority of members voted in favour of the amendment, which was subsequently passed unanimously by the Committee.
The Committee also took up the issue of 77 FIRs registered against students of Quaid-e-Azam University that have yet to be withdrawn. Police officials informed the Committee that the FIRs were lodged on the complaint of the university’s Vice Chancellor, a government entity, and therefore could not be withdrawn independently by the police. The Committee recalled the Vice Chancellor’s earlier commitment to withdraw the FIRs and noted non-compliance. It unanimously decided to summon the Vice Chancellor again to explain the delay and present the factual position.
In another matter, the Committee discussed a misplaced House file in Islamabad. A representative of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) presented the court order sheet, stating that the CDA had regularly attended court proceedings, while the petitioner had failed to appear before the Committee. Senator Saadia Abbasi remarked that such issues were routinely faced by citizens and stressed that maintaining official records was the sole responsibility of the CDA, terming the incident clear negligence.
The Chairman sought details of the officials responsible and was informed that show-cause notices had been issued to the concerned employees. The Committee decided to keep the matter pending until the conclusion of court proceedings.
Additionally, Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan raised concerns over the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for failing to respond adequately to his queries. The Secretary of the ministry tendered an unconditional apology before the Committee, attributing the lapse to technical issues with WhatsApp, and assured members of improved responsiveness in the future.
