ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: Senate’s acting chairman Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali has proposed changes in the system of election of senators to end the reported practice of buying loyalty of legislators.

Talking to this correspondent here on Friday, Mr Jamali suggested the system of proportional representation.

He stressed the need for strengthening the upper house and giving it powers similar to those enjoyed by the US senate.

This, he said, would address the concerns of the federating units which felt deprived of their rights.

Mr Jamali said there were reports in the media that huge amounts of money changed hands in Senate polls, making a mockery of the democratic system.

He proposed that parties should be allotted Senate seats on the basis of votes polled by them in the National Assembly election, thereby ending the role of cash.

Similarly, for the eight Fata seats the entire National Assembly should be the electoral college, instead of 12 MNAs from tribal areas.

Mr Jamali said that serious efforts needed to be made to end the bitterness felt by smaller provinces because of denial of administrative, financial and political powers.