Achakzai’s presence makes a difference

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A bill (PIA Corporation conversion) passed due to sheer majority of the PML-N led treasury in the National Assembly, rejected by the Senate due to comfortable majority of the PPP led Opposition alliance there, may not test nerves of the treasury in the joint sitting of the Parliament. Now it seems a matter of days not weeks when the joint sitting of the Parliament will take up the PIA Corporation Bill – passed by the National Assembly and rejected by the Senate. Is joint sitting the last resort, constitutional requirement? Opposition’s brains think otherwise. Sure of their defeat in the joint sitting due to comfortable majority the treasury would muster, they unleash a more crude  and moral-cum-political card. The theme for the moment revolves around “strengthening the federation” when the ground realities revolve around “sheer politics”.

So what is at stake here for the treasury? Premier Sharif led treasury will only have to take care of political fall-out, if any. The number game is on their side. For now, the Opposition has already shown its political cards. Their agitation and slogan for the joint sitting would revolve around the main theme of “federation” vs National Assembly majority of the ruling party. This is a carefully crafted strategy of the Opposition from smaller provinces to take on Punjab-led treasury. Walkouts, fierce sloganeering will be icing on the cake. PPP majority Senators from Sindh province, PTI majority senators from KP, FATA, some Baloch Nationalists (MQM Senators not included) takes them to a simple majority figure in the Senate. Hence the claim of representing “will of the federation” on the PIA bill issue. PML-N’s majority Senators from Punjab, and Balochistan, a few from KP, and allies from Balochistan makes it a minority in the Upper House. And opposition’s logic says, they can’t claim to represent federation. What about the National Assembly? The PML-N has thumping majority from Punjab, a few seats from KP, some from Balochistan, and two, three from the Sindh province. Their Baluch and Pushtun allies represent Balochistan etc. And JUI, at least in Lower House, is on their side as it also enjoys federal ministries. In Senate, they are considered part of the Opposition alliance, with Deputy Chairman slot the party occupies. But, each of the National Assembly member is directly elected. So one may ask. Do they represent federation?  Anybody’s guess, for argument sake?. 

Those who matter at the treasury benches now have no doubt that the government wants the PIA bill to sail through a joint sitting of the Parliament within this week, even if it comes to adopting crude constitutional method sans consensus. And in their last ditch effort to stop the government from adopting Parliament’s Joint sitting course, Opposition parties wanted the PIA Corporation Bill to land in Council of Common Interests (CCI). Another moral-cum-constitutional trap. But that was not to be. 

As far as the government strategy is concerned. Already, Maulana Fazlur Rehman seems to have been taken care of. His meeting with Premier Sharif on Monday morning, after Mulana’s verbal bouts with the Punjab government on provincial Women Protection Bill, has made the treasury more than confident in the Parliament. Numbers are irrelevant, as Maulana led JUI has its political weightage in both the houses as well as on the streets on KP and Balochistan provinces. Above all, the JUI is a potent political rival of PTI in KP. And Premier Sharif-led dispensation would feel more pleased if JUI leader would continue to take on PTI, instead of the Punjab government. 

Then come PML-N’s Pushtun and Baloch nationalist allies from the Balochistan province. They prove themselves useful at critical moments. That was evident on Monday too.    

Timely last minute intervention by PML-N’s Pashtun Nationalist ally Mahmood Khan Achakzai saved the seemingly united yet divided opposition in the National Assembly from the labour of yet another walkout on the first day of a new session. Everyone at the treasury knew Achakzai, considered linchpin of PM Sharif’s political allies, was too important to ignore. This made minister Zahid Hamid walk towards the lobby with Achakzai moments before the adoption of motion to convene the joint sitting. Moments later, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, minister Zahid Hamid, treasury and opposition couldn’t do much but to agree. After all, Mr Achakzai was just asking for two, three more days so that a hassle-free mechanism could be adopted to take care of PIA Corporation conversion bill. But, given the nature of deep divide on the issue, treasury’s brains are adamant a consensus on PIA bill was next to impossible. Yet, PML-N’s important ally had to be honored. Hence the joint sitting of Parliament in the offing, may be on Thursday-Friday, but not before exhausting all government-opposition give and take avenues on the issue. Sitting in the front rows on far end of the National Assembly Hall, Achakzai came into action as soon as the PPP, PTI, JI opposition was about to stage the walkout had the motion to convene joint sitting of the Parliament been passed. Sheikh Rashid was all set for this role as he had already physically approached the PTI and PPP front rows minutes after making a fiery speech on the issue. Nowadays he is in a fast forward mode to score points against Premier Sharif. PTI’s Shireen Mazari, PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar, and JI were in conformity.  This was however not the happening day, fireworks are expected at the end of this week.