ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has come out with a unique idea of renaming the Parliament House.

According to an official announcement by the Senate Secretariat, the Senate chairman has decided to constitute a parliamentary committee tasked with the responsibility of renaming the Parliament House “to a name that resonates deeply with cultural heritage, upholds our national values and symbolises the unity of our great nation”.

In this connection, the Senate chairman has also written a letter to National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, highlighting that the recent golden jubilee celebrations of the Senate and the Constitution of 1973 have provided them with an opportune moment to reflect on collective achievements as a nation and requested for nomination of members at the earliest to complete the committee.

The Senate chairman designated Senators Irfan Siddiqui of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Taj Haider of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Shibli Faraz of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Manzoor Kakar of the Balochistan Awami Party as the members of the committee from the upper house.

In his letter to the speaker, he further emphasised that together they could embark on this meaningful endeavour and contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage.

He said the primary objective of this committee was to engage in comprehensive discussions and deliberations drawing upon the diverse expertise and perspectives of its members to propose a selection of suitable names.

When contacted, a number of senators, even some of those included in the committee, expressed their surprise over the move, stating that they did not know as to what name could be given to the Parliament House and from where the Senate chairman got this idea.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2023