Senate output increased in 2025-26, scrutiny weakened: Pildat

• 97 bills passed, only six ordinances laid in the upper house
• Number of disruptions due to lack of quorum decreased

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has noted a rise in legislative output in the Senate during 2025-2026, alongside continued institutional weaknesses including declining attendance, delayed representation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and concerns over the pace and depth of constitutional amendments.

According to Pildat’s analysis of Senate performance, 97 bills were passed during the year — comprising 47 government bills and 50 private members’ bills. This marks a significant increase from 51 bills passed in 2024-2025. Private members’ legislation recorded a strong recovery, while government bills also showed an upward trend.

Only six ordinances were laid during the year compared to 16 in the previous year. The Senate held 64 sittings, slightly fewer than 65 last year, but working hours increased to approximately 159 hours from 117 hours, indicating longer and more intensive sittings. However, average attendance declined to 57.6 per cent compared to 62pc last year.

The number of disruptions due to lack of quorum decreased. The Leader of the House recorded 31pc attendance. The office of the Leader of the Opposition remained vacant for five months and 15 days after removal of Senator Shibli Faraz on August 5, 2025, until Senator Raja Nasir Abbas assumed office on January 20, 2026.

In terms of participation, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights (Punjab, PML-N), was the most vocal with 10 hours 40 minutes of talk time.

He was followed by Senator Aimal Wali Khan (Balochistan, ANP) with nine hours 51 minutes, Senator Syed Ali Zafar (Punjab, PTI) with nine hours 40 minutes, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz (KP, PTI) with eight hours 24 minutes, and Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Leader of the House (ICT, PML-N), with six hours 41 minutes.

A defining feature of the year was the passage of the 27th Constitution Amendment, which introduced major changes to judicial structure and military command arrangements. Pildat noted the amendment was passed through an accelerated process within 24 hours, raising concerns regarding parliamentary scrutiny and deliberative depth.

The report also flagged a major institutional gap: 11 Senate seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained vacant for approximately 23 months from February 2024 to January 2026 due to electoral delays and legal disputes, affecting federal representation and Senate composition.

The resignation of opposition members from Senate Standing Committees in September 2025 highlighted weakened parliamentary oversight and reduced bipartisan engagement. Amid these challenges, the Senate passed a unanimous resolution during the May 2025 India-Pakistan crisis, reflecting cross-party consensus on national security.

On finances, the Senate budget increased by approximately 25pc, from Rs7,242 million in 2024-2025 to Rs9,055m in 2025-2026.

Per-member allocation rose from Rs85.2m to Rs90.55m. Strengthening parliamentary oversight and ensuring procedural rigour remain critical for improving the performance of the upper house, Pildat said.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026 ...