Islamabad: The Senate standing committee on Policy Research Centre expressed concerns on keeping it unapprised about the country’s international agreements.
During a meeting presided over by Col. (R) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi on Thursday, the Committee decided to invite the foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi into the next meeting.
The Committee also asked for suggestions about the policy from its members.
On the occasion, the Committee chairman Tahir Hussain Mashhadi expressed his anger in strong words, saying “The Senate committee is being treated like a school boy and the Foreign Ministry gives a small brief case to it, though we must know about the international agreements, whether they serve the national interests or not and are being implemented.”
He asked the members to inform the Committee about their concerns on foreign policy and said the forum can discuss the international agreements.
Mashhadi said that they could look into the Saudi Arabia’s investment in Gwadar and Recodec projects and ascertain its possible effects on the Pak-Iran relations.
“We can look that how Saudi Arabia’s investment in these projects can affect the balance of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. How the profit will be shared after Saudi’s inclusion in the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC). Whether the provinces would gain their share or not,” he added.
Senator Mola Bakhsh Chandio said that bureaucracy is no longer strong as it was in the past while the politicians are getting stronger. The Prime Minister (Imran Khan) is powerless in foreign affairs so what our forum could do. Parliament would be strengthened only if the government approves its decisions.
Senator Saifullah said that the Committee was being briefed only on routine affairs and did not inform of the details. It is kept unaware; the real issues must be brought into the parliament. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs faced with shameful situations again and again.
Another member Senator Jehanzeb Jamaldini said the foreign policy is the basis of a system but we have a controlled foreign policy. Parliament must be taken in confidence before making a policy. It is ignored on many important issues like Saudi Arabia’s inclusion in the CPEC.
While the former Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said if the Foreign Minister is present in Pakistan he should come to the session. He suggested that ex-senators must be called as former senators instead of retired.
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