Senate stakes

We badly need political consensus and greater willingness to look at the long-term interests of our country ahead of the Senate elections which will take place on March 5. At present, all the political parties are vying to put their own interests first rather than help evolve the political culture based on integrity that we so badly need. The meeting of parliamentary party leaders held on Friday on the prime minister’s call did not lead towards this. The sharp divide among political parties on the government’s proposal that Senate polls be held through a show of hands rather than a secret ballot, and a constitutional amendment made to allow this, remained unresolved. While the PML-N and the PTI back the suggestion, and the MQM expressed approval for it on Friday, the PPP and JUI-F have vehemently opposed anything other than a secret ballot. Calls for building a consensus rather than bull-dozing through a last minute amendment came from the ANP and JWP – but essentially nothing was agreed on.
Essentially, all parties are looking out only for themselves and trying to see how they can gain the few votes, perhaps from rebellious representatives from another party that may earn them an extra seat or two in the Upper House. This is all based on the immediate. But gains made in this manner will not really help us evolve a better system or a political culture that is able to correct – through a built-in system of checks and balances – the many wrongs that exist within it. In many ways, this is dependent on political parties altering themselves, introducing more transparency within their own structures, eliminating nepotism and by doing so resolving the issue of their representatives being constantly susceptible to being bought over by others. It is change of this nature that would stand us well in the longer stead rather than bickering over the process to be used now. Rather than creating more divide, it is important instead to work towards constructing agreements and laying down the solid foundation that can turn our Upper House into a body that is truly able to guide the country towards better governance and maturity. For this we need discourse and discussion spread out over a far longer period of time than the hastily called meeting on Friday. Accord cannot be generated instantaneously. It will take time – and all political parties will need to work towards it with genuine good intent rather than watching out only for themselves as is currently happening.