Opposition’s seven points carefully crafted web

View from the Gallery  

Seven pointed queries unleashed by the PPP-PTI led opposition in Parliament on Wednesday seem a carefully crafted political web to bind Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in an unending spree of as many questions, counters and supplementaries his foes would like to pitch. And then, easily switch to agitation mode, if they are not satisfied with any or all the answers coming from the premier, this Friday. 

In all probability, the opposition lot won’t get satisfied with any set of answers, for now. One could however keep on guessing till the last moments on Friday whether the premier will choose to take the opposition benches head on, adopt a “reveal all” mode. Or makes it a general statement of sorts. 

Everyone knows the name of the game is to score points to the fullest – nothing more, nothing less. Sensing trap in the opposition’s move, the treasury hurriedly came up with its own set of counter allegations, questioning the real intent behind the high drama engulfing polity and media waves for more than a month now.

Quickly, they dampened the opposition’s expectations, making it clear that the PM will be there to take the House into confidence in general terms, and won’t be pinned down by pointed queries. And the PTI and PPP’s larger agenda too. For now, the Senate Opposition Leader had the guts to term the seven question trap “innocent and simple queries” weaved around the Mayfair apartments Sharif family owns in London, and all the wealth, income tax and money trail records of the family. 

Danyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry – the television talk show stars of treasury -- and minister Abid Sher Ali, were quick o reject this notion without waste of time.   Such is the situation in Parliament these days as PanamaLeaks have overshadowed all the other important business. If the issue lingers on for another month or so, it is most likely to eclipse the budget session too. 

For the moment, the current session is getting bored and dry with the opposition’s boycott entering its third day in a row. It’s a double jeopardy the treasury faces since the opposition’s boycott of proceedings. 

Maintenance of quorum is more problematic for easy going, somewhat lethargic ruling party and ally legislators, these days. The magical word of 86 is so hard to come by. Proceedings of the National Assembly remained suspended for one hour as soon as the opposition boycotted on Wednesday too, second time in a row for two days now.

With this ‘God sent’ Panama affair, the opposition of the day is grabbing all media focus. Inside the assembly Hall, the government of the day does not allow private news channels to cover the proceedings live. 

In the era of twitter, WhatsApp etc, the government media gurus prefer Parliament proceedings be covered in 80s and 90s style, through state broadcaster only. And that is proving counter productive, in toto.

Remember, the scared baboos didn’t broadcast Imran Khan and Khursheed Shah’s address at the National Assembly on Panama issue in the last session. Naively they thought that without live coverage, the steam would be taken out from the issue, that day. 

The move proved counterproductive. So on this day, government legislators along with minister Abid Sher Ali chose to address the media outside Parliament on the same stage which is usually used by the opposition to avail independent news coverage.

Earlier, Aitzaz along with PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi unveiled their 7 queries at the same stage. He led the opposition pack from the front, as usual. As they lined up on the make shift media podium just outside the parliament House building, overwhelmed by the little successes he enjoys these days, Aitzaz lost track of the number of brainy yet intriguing questions they had actually amassed. 

Corrected, then and there, as the television screens were live, he realized the questions had actually soared from five to seven – perhaps through some last minutes divine intervention. Apart from this odd fumble, rest of his address went fine. 

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the old-styled brainy figure of Pakistani polity, is keeping his fingers crossed as he starts initial maneuvers to detach the PPP from the PTI. It might take a hard bargain, a long haul. But he is on it.  Results are eagerly awaited.