• Upper house still short of mandatory number of days in parliamentary year
• In his address to joint sitting of parliament, expected on March 2, President Zardari may take ‘hard line’ on certain government policies

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned a fresh session of the Senate on Monday (today), his secretariat’s media wing said in a press release — with a heavy 46-point agenda as 16 bills will be introduced and three will be withdrawn.

A source in parliament said the National Assembly had already completed the mandatory number of sitting days, while the Senate still needed to meet to complete the required days before the start of March, which marks the beginning of the new parliamentary year.

In this context, the president is also expected to address a joint sitting of parliament on March 2 to fulfil a constitutional obligation.

The source told Dawn that under the Constitution, the president was bound to address the joint sitting of the two houses of parliament, the Senate and the National Assembly, to mark the start of a fresh parliamentary year that begins in March.

Article 56 of the Constitution states: “At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the National Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the president shall address both houses assembled together and inform the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) of the causes of its summons.”

Today’s agenda

According to the Senate agenda for Monday, Senator Mohsin Aziz will introduce a bill to amend the Islamabad Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2020.

Senator Sarmad Ali will introduce three bills to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979 and the Majority Act, 1875. Senator Quratul Ain Marri will move to amend the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980.

Similarly, Senator Sherry Rehman will move a bill to introduce the Corporate Social Responsibility in Profit-making Companies.

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri will move a bill further to amend the Family Courts Act, 1964. Senator Saadia Abbasi will move the bill to amend the Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Act, 2021.

Likewise, Senator Shahadat Awan will move three bills to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, the National Security Council Act, 2004 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Senator Abdul Qadir will move six bills to amend the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950, the Special Technology Zones Authority Act, 2021, the Public Private Partnership Authority Act, 2017, establishment of Islamabad University of Communication and Emerging Sciences, the establishment of Al-Biruni International University Islamabad and a bill further to amend the Federal Public Service Commission Ordinance, 1977.

Three bills will be withdrawn including a bill for the establishment of the Pakistan Minerals Regulatory Authority, a bill to amend the Establishment of the Office of Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) Order, 1983 and a bill to amend the Civil Servants Act, 1973.

Joint sitting address

It is expected that during his joint sitting address on March 2, President Zardari could be ‘harsh’ towards the government, as in the recent past he has criticised some of its policies and complained that it did not take ruling allies, including the PPP, on board in the decision-making process.

One reflection of this stance was seen when the president recently returned some important government bills without his consent, despite them having been passed by both houses of parliament.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2026