Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Friday stopped working and returned official protocol as chairman of the upper house.
He stopped working and returned official protocol as a Senate chairman to protest against absence of ministers in the upper house. Rabbani also cancelled his scheduled visit to Iran on Saturday.
He said that ministers do not come to the Senate to attend the question-hour session. He said that tension between the government and opposition was rising. He directed the Senate Secretariat not to bring any official file to him as he is no longer a chairman.
It seems the government has some grudge against me, Rabbani said and added that the Senate is being deprived of its constitutional role. He offered the government to tender resignation from the chairmanship.
Later, the ministers approached Rabbani and tried to convince him to resume his work as Senate chairman but in vain as he left for home.
Meanwhile, the Senate session was adjourned for an unspecified period.He had been visibly agitated during Senate proceedings and had commented strongly on the low attendance.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with the federal government's performance, saying that if there were any reservations within the government regarding his performance they should be brought on record.
He added that if the government would not let him exercise his authority, then he had no business holding the Senate chairman's position and should be asked to resign.
Rabbani proceeded to postpone his official tour to Iran — scheduled to commence on April 15 — and left the Senate in his own car instead of his official vehicle, leaving behind his security detail amidst protests from the Senate secretary.