Tucked into one of the corridors of Parliament House, the recently inaugurated Senate Museum offers a well-curated glimpse into the history of Pakistani politics.

An initiative of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, the museum offers an insight into the efforts some of Pakistan’s foremost political figures, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Maulana Mufti Mehmood, Professor Ghafoor and Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani.

Above all, the museum narrates Pakistan’s journey towards participatory federalism through the Senate of Pakistan. The exhibit on the museum’s main floor lets visitors discover the stories of the people who saw these changes, starting from the modest beginnings.

The museum takes around 30 minutes to walk through. According to Senator Javed Abbasi, it is a must-see for anyone interested in Pakistan’s political history.

“One really gets a sense of democratic history. Walking around the exhibition space gives a feeling of walking through the former halls of power, which is an exciting experience,” Senator Abbasi said.

Entrance into the museum is free, provided visitors can get past the several tiers of security in and outside parliament.

The tour begins with a video, but visitors can also wander freely through the museum.

The map of Pakistan in the display area signifies the legislative composition of the federation.

A diorama of the 1972 Constitutional Accord depicts one of the most significant milestones in parliamentary history: a 25-member committee formed by the National Assembly in 1972 to draft a permanent constitution.

The oath-taking diorama features the swearing in of the first Senate chairman, Habibullah Marwat, on Aug 6, 1973, while another diorama depicts the first sitting of the first Senate of Pakistan, also on Aug 6.

The museum also captures some darker periods of history, with one diorama depicting the moment when the Senate was suspended in 1977, and again in 2002, in breach of constitutional perpetuity.

In one corner, an exhibit called ‘Senate through the Ages’ carries visitors back to the Senate, beginning from the years of its origin in 1973 to the present. In addition to photographs of the first 45 senators, visitors can flick through documents and follow the evolution of the Senate.

Senator Rabbani said he hoped that the exhibits and the information provided by the museum would help visitors, especially young people, learn about the struggle for people’s basic rights, and the parliamentarians, peasants, journalists, women and many more who made sacrifices to hold the spirit and standards of democracy in Pakistan.

“This museum tells a complete story of the soul and spirit of the Senate of Pakistan,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2018