The Role and Functioning of Senate in Pakistan: A Comparative and Historical Analysis

Abstract

The Senate, as the upper house of Pakistan's bicameral legislature, plays a crucial role in representing the federating units and maintaining a balance of power within the state. This research intends to provide a comprehensive examination of Senate in Pakistan. The main focus was on its constitutional underpinnings and strengths that have shaped its role and functioning within the broader framework of parliament. Furthermore, this research aims to critically analyze the evolution, role, and functioning of the Senate in Pakistan, with a focus on representation and legislative functions. The constitutional framework that establishes the Senate's role and functions. It explores key articles of the Constitution of Pakistan which define the composition, eligibility criteria, and electoral mechanism of the Senate. It is very important to understand, how they contribute to the Senate's role as a representative and revising chamber in the federal structure and to assesses the strengths of the Pakistani Senate in terms of its role in protecting the rights of smaller provinces, promoting federal harmony, and acting as a check on the lower house, the National Assembly. The Senate's unique features, including its staggered term length and indirect election process, contribute to its distinctive strengths within the Pakistani political system. The powers and structure of the Senate are to be discussed in conjunction with its case laws and then expand upon the challenges in Senate to exercise its duties true to its objectives.