ISLAMABAD: As the upper house of parliament will meet after a seven-week hiatus, a stormy session is expected on Monday.

President Dr Arif Alvi has summoned the Senate session on Dec 12 under Article 54 of the Constitution.

The house is likely to witness fireworks as important developments have taken place since it last met on October 21.

The recent developments on the political front include the PTI’s rally in Rawalpindi, re-arrest of PTI leader Azam Swati, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s two meetings with President Alvi in as many weeks and PTI’s decision to dissolve Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies to press the government for fresh elections.

A minister had recently hinted at a presser that the government was ready for talks on snap polls, advising Imran Khan to return to the National Assembly.

The session will take place amidst reports suggesting that back channel talks on snap polls were going on.

The house will meet after the collapse of the talks between the military and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) saying that the peace talks emboldened the TTP that increased its footprint and magnitude of activities during the process.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2022