Senate’s 2025–26 Performance Marked by Higher Legislative Output, Improved Working Hours, Decline in Attendance, Institutional Disruptions & Controversial Constitutional Amendments
July 2026
In its analysis of the Senate of Pakistan’s 2025–2026 performance, PILDAT notes a rise in legislative output accompanied by continued institutional weaknesses, including declining attendance, delayed representation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and concerns over the pace and depth of constitutional amendments.
During 2025–2026, the Senate passed a total of 97 bills, comprising 47 government bills and 50 private members’ bills, reflecting a significant increase in legislative activity compared to the previous year when 51 bills were passed. Private Members’ legislation recovered strongly, while government bills also recorded an upward trend. Additionally, reliance on ordinances declined sharply, with only 6 ordinances laid, compared to 16 in 2024–2025. 
The Senate met for 64 sittings, slightly lower than the previous year when it met for 65 sittings, but working hours increased to approximately 159 hours from 117 last year, indicating longer sittings and intensified legislative activity. 
Attendance trends showed a decline, with average attendance falling to 57.6%, compared to 62% in the previous year. The overall number of disruptions due to lack of quorum declined during the year.
The Leader of the House recorded 31% attendance, while the office of the Leader of the Opposition remained vacant for 5 months and 15 days following the removal of Senator Shibli Faraz on August 5, 2025, before Senator Raja Nasir Abbas assumed office on January 20, 2026. 
Most Vocal Senators:
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights (Punjab, PML-N) emerged as the most vocal Senator with a recorded talk time 10 hours and 40 minutes. He was followed by Senator Aimal Wali Khan, (Balochistan, ANP) who spoke for 9 hours and 51 minutes. Senator Syed Ali Zafar (Punjab, PTI), who spoke for 9 hours and 40 minutes and ranked third. Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, (KP, PTI), spoke for 8 hours and 24 minutes while Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Leader of the House, (ICT,PML-N)spoke for 6 hours 41 minutes. 
A defining feature of the year was the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which introduced major changes in judicial structure, and military command arrangements. The amendment was passed through an accelerated process within 24 hours, raising concerns regarding parliamentary scrutiny and deliberative depth.
The report also highlights a major institutional gap; 11 Senate seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained vacant for approximately 23 months (February 2024 to January 2026) due to electoral delays and legal disputes, affecting federal representation and Senate composition.
Further institutional strain was caused by the resignation of opposition members from Senate Standing Committees in September 2025, weakening parliamentary oversight and reducing bipartisan engagement.
During the year, the Senate also responded to major national developments, including a unanimous resolution during the May 2025 India–Pakistan crisis, reflecting cross-party consensus on national security.
In terms of expenditure, the Senate budget increased from PKR 7,242 million in 2024–2025 to PKR 9,055 million in 2025–2026, reflecting a rise of approximately 25%, while per-member allocation increased from PKR85.2 million to PKR 90.55 million. 
Overall, while legislative productivity increased in 2025–2026, PILDAT notes that persistent challenges in attendance, leadership continuity, committee functioning, and the quality of legislative deliberation continue to affect the Senate’s institutional effectiveness. Strengthening parliamentary oversight and ensuring procedural rigor remain critical for improving the performance of the Upper House.
Lastly it is important to note that Senate continued the practice of timely publishing its comprehensive Annual Reports, which serve as a crucial resource for understanding and evaluating the legislative performance in addition to strengthening parliamentary transparency. This report should serve as a model for other Pakistani legislatures. The Senate leadership and its Secretariat should be commended for consistently upholding this tradition. The full report can be read here.