ISLAMABAD: Given the vast array of crucial political issues that have remained unresolved, a Senate session expected to be convened next week to discuss matters such as the Panama Papers case and a report published in Dawn in October may very well turn out to be a tumultuous one, according to analysts.

Sources told Dawn that a session of the upper house of parliament was supposed to be convened on May 8 as per its tentative schedule, but the government was thinking of delaying the session by a couple of days in view of the likely tough reaction from the opposition over the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Senators belonging to the opposition parties had already requisitioned a session, the sources said.

As per the rules, the Senate chairman is supposed to convene a session within 14 days of it being requisitioned, but the chairman may exercise his discretion to fix its final date, according to a source.

“The session is most likely to be convened on May 10; in any case it will be held anytime next week,” said a source.

During the coming session the opposition wants to discuss the government’s alleged attempt to influence the formation of a joint investigation team which will be probing matters relating to the London properties of the prime minister and his children.

During the session the opposition parties are expected to call for the prime minister’s resignation.

The session will also discuss the perceived rise in extremism and terrorism-related incidents in the wake of the tragic killing of Mashal Khan as well as the removal of Senator Pervez Rashid from the office of information minister.

A request to make public the inquiry report about the Dawn report that caused quite a stir in October has also been included in the agenda.

Other issues on the agenda are the Sindh governor’s alleged violation of the Constitution and reported misrepresentation of the federal minister of state for water and power in the Senate regarding supply of irrigation water to the provinces.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2017