ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s new emblem will carry the words ‘House of Federation’, instead of ‘Senate of Pakistan’.

The senators on Wednesday unanimously approved the change in the emblem of the upper house to reinforce the idea that the Senate is a symbol of the federation.

Unlike the National Assembly where representation is based on population, the Senate has equal representation from all four federating units.

The Senate was created in 1973 to ensure that interests of smaller provinces are protected. No legislation can become an effective law without being passed by both houses of the parliament.

Before putting for a voice vote, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani informed the members that the representatives of all the parties had already approved the idea of changing the emblem during a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee held in his chamber on May 4.

However, he said, he was putting it up for a vote as the change could not become effective without the formal approval of the house.

Immediately after the approval by the senators, the Senate Secretariat released the new official logo to the media.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2015

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