Amin Dadabhoy elected Senate body Chairman
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Senator Muhammad Amin Dadabhoy was elected unopposed as Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Commerce.
To this effect, the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce met at the Parliament House Tuesday to elect its Chairman as contemplated by Rule 163(1) of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988. The Secretary, Senate of Pakistan Raja Muhammad Amin conducted the proceedings of the election.
His name was proposed by Senator Kamil Ali Agha and seconded by Senator Shuja-ul-Mulk. The elected Chairman, Senator Muhammad Amin Dadabhoy thanked the Members of the Committee for reposing confidence in him and assured that he would rise above party divide and work in the greatest interest of the country and the nation. He said that he would take up commerce and trade related issues at the appropriate level and forward proposals to the government with a view to bring about improvement in the trade policy.
The Members of the Committee congratulated the newly elected Chairman of the Committee on his unanimous election and assured full cooperation to him in the discharge of his duties.
Earlier, Senators Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Dr. Safdar Ali Abbasi and Muhammad Azam Khan Swati staged a walk out from the meeting in protest scheduled to elect Chairman of the Standing Committee on Commerce against what they termed the decision as ‘Illegal, hasty with mala-fide intentions’.
The Members pointed out that the Upper House had, in the past set a very healthy tradition that the offices of the Chairmen of the Standing/Functional Committees were given to the parties on the basis of their representation in the House.
They complained that this healthy tradition was ignored and the elections were being held in violation of the understanding reached between the treasury and the opposition benches.
The Secretary Senate on the occasion clarified that the election proceedings were conducted under rule 163 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 1988 and that he has the verbal as well as written instructions of the Chairman in this regard. He said that the elections are being held in accordance with the relevant rules and that there is nothing illegal.
The meeting was attended by Senators Kamil Ali Agha, Shuja-ul-Mulk, Zafar Iqbal Ch., Ahmed Ali, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Dr. Safdar Ali Abbasi and Muhammad Ishaq Dar.