Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has said that parliament is the hallmark of democracy and it is parliament which can be termed flag-bearer of a democratic system.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of newly constructed Senate Museum at the Parliament House on Tuesday, the Senate chairman gave a detailed account of the underlying philosophy for establishing the monument of unsung heroes, Gali-e-Dastoor and the newly constructed Senate Museum and said that people were subjected to tortures, imprisonments and were hanged for not bowing to the dictates of commandments of dictatorial regimes and preferred to sacrifice their lives for upholding the cause of democracy and supremacy of the constitution and parliament.

The monument, he said, would recognise the sacrifices of civil society, workers, labourers, journalists and the common man who believed in democracy.

He said that House Business Advisory Committee (HBAC) put its weight behind during all the initiatives taken for enhancing the majesty of the Senate as a ‘House of the Parliament’. He said that collective leadership was essence of any democratic system in which decisions are made in a collective manner acceptable for all shades of opinion. “However, contrary to this dictatorship remains a one man show.”

Regarding Gali-e-Dastoor, the chairman observed that new generation must know that the constitution and democracy were not acquired so easily and there exists a long journey of hardships and political struggle. The democracy, he said, was not given by any dictator but it was due to the struggle of the masses, including political workers and labour class. “There is a need to preserve this fruit of democracy through continuous struggle,” he remarked.

He said that museum would contribute towards institutional building and strengthening the foundation of democracy in the country. “Institutions can’t exist without its history and it is therefore, highly important to preserve the historical aspects of the evolution of the Senate as House of the Federation.

Pakistan is a democratic country and like any other country possesses a long history of struggles to achieve and retain democracy in the country, he said, adding that all the initiatives had been taken to remember the people who rendered sacrifices for democracy and supremacy of parliament.

Senate Deputy Chairman Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq. Leader of the Opposition in Senate Ch Aitzaz Ahsan and Senate Secretary Amjed Pervez Malik also addressed the gathering. They acknowledged the efforts of the Senate chairman for taking landmark initiatives aimed at enhancing the outreach and image of the Senate.

It is worthy to mention here that the museum preserves and projects the soul and spirit of Senate of Pakistan.

The chairman distributed appreciation certificates among officials who burned their midnight oil to make this dream a reality. The chairman appreciated the contribution made by Lok Virsa, Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services and the Senate Secretariat in this regard.

Later on, the Senate Chairman accompanied by Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Ch Aitzaz Ahsan, Khurshid Shah and parliamentary leaders in the Senate formally inaugurated the Senate Museum and briefed them on various sections of the museum depicting historical evolution of the Senate of Pakistan.

Published in Daily Times, January 24^th 2018.