Islamabad, July 7, 2026: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday decided to write to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking reconstitution of the review committee on Warrants of Precedence, as it also took up private members’ bills on disaster management and the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (FEB&GI).
The meeting was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan and was attended by Senators Anusha Rehman, Saadia Abbasi, Muhammad Abdul Qadir, Atta-ur-Rehman and Aimal Wali Khan. Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti joined via Zoom, while Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri attended as mover of the agenda items.
The committee held a detailed discussion on the longstanding issue of Warrants of Precedence and pointed to several anomalies in the existing framework. Senator Anusha Rehman questioned the prolonged delay in reviewing the matter and observed that a number of constitutional officeholders, including the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and the Chief Election Commissioner, continue to rank above elected parliamentarians despite Parliament’s constitutional status.
Officials informed the committee that the review body constituted under the Secretary Cabinet Division had not met for a considerable period because of the sensitive nature of the matter, which requires deliberation at the highest level. They added that recommendations for reviewing the Warrants of Precedence were currently under consideration in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Following the discussion, the committee chairman decided to write to the prime minister requesting that the review committee be reconstituted under the federal minister for law and justice, with representation from both the Senate and the National Assembly, to undertake a comprehensive review of the Warrants of Precedence and implement the committee’s recommendations. He also proposed a joint meeting with the National Assembly Standing Committee to resolve the matter, which has remained pending since 2008.
The committee also considered the National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Representatives of the Law Division told the committee that, under Article 144 of the Constitution, amendments relating to provincial subjects could only be enacted after resolutions to that effect are passed by all provincial assemblies.
Members noted that the proposed amendments were aimed primarily at strengthening oversight of disaster management funds. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri stressed the need for the Auditor General of Pakistan to audit Provincial Disaster Management Authorities, while officials said the National Disaster Management Authority could establish a coordination mechanism within the existing constitutional framework to improve oversight. After deliberations, the committee referred the bill to the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination for broader consultation with the provinces.
The committee also discussed the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to give government employees the option of receiving their contributory amount upon retirement or allowing those contributions to remain available for the benefit of their families.
Officials opposed the proposal, citing financial constraints, and maintained that the existing scheme serves as a humanitarian support mechanism for the families of deceased or incapacitated government employees. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri proposed the formation of a sub-committee to examine the current scheme and recommend reforms. The chairman directed that a sub-committee be constituted to review the bill in detail and instructed FEB&GI to engage with the mover of the bill to explore practical reforms.
The committee deferred a briefing by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on electricity tariffs, capacity payments and other energy-related matters due to the absence of the mover.
Separately, the committee reviewed the issue of employees recruited in 2012 under FEB&GI who were later terminated following an inquiry conducted in 2023. Members questioned why action had been taken against the employees while no proceedings were initiated against officials responsible for their appointments.
Expressing concern over the hardships faced by the affected employees, the committee urged the relevant authorities to reconsider the matter in light of their years of service and practical experience. The chairman directed the concerned authorities to review the case and take appropriate steps for reinstating the affected employees in accordance with the law.
