Parliament is supreme

If a parliamentarian abuses and curses the Parliament, from where he has kept taking salary and allowances for five years, before trying his luck for another term, he actually abuses and curses himself. What our elected leaders need to understand is the difference between the rulers and the rule, the individual and the institution, between the government and pillars of the state.

If this parliament had done anything wrong, you have the right to come into power and change that rule or law. But, by uttering 'laanat' (curse) on the institution, you are also accusing your own party legislatures as well as members of both treasury and opposition.

General Ziaul Haq called the Constitution of Pakistan a piece of paper, whom he could tear into pieces anytime, and he did that. Gen Pervez Musharraf suspended and put the Constitution in abeyance, not for once but twice.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who abused the Parliament, had remained member of this very institution at least seven times. He has the experience of serving both military dictators and their cronies during his political career. One can criticise the Parliament, its decisions like criticism of any decision, but abusing the institution, whether it is Judiciary or Parliament or Army, only weakens the state pillars.

You don't need public poll, but can go with the same narrative in the elections and see whether people vote for your narrative or to other narrative or perception about the Parliament.

This is what happened in Lahore, on Wednesday, during a joint opposition show, which looked quite disjointed from the start and ended without giving any further line of action. While Dr Tahirul Qadri made an attempt to unit them, but in the end, 'Divided they stand, United they fall’. Frustration was quite visible from the emotional speech of veteran Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who once again abuse the Parliament and sadly, Imran Khan followed him.

All this happened only days after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar termed ‘Parliament as supreme body’, and said, he was trying to bridge the gap between the two important institutions, Judiciary and the Parliament. But our parliamentarians were found cursing the institution, which had given them an identity.

If someone like Sheikh Rashid abuses or curses the Parliament after being its member for almost seven times, which also includes the military dictators era, there might not be any problem for him as he is “one man army”. But, if a popular leader who can be a prime minister in future, abuses and curses the very institution, which can make him leader of the lower house and chief executive of the country, it is most regrettable.

They both use similar language against the Parliament in 2014, and also resigned, but then returned to the same Parliament, which they had abused and accepted its supremacy. Now, with hardly six months left for general elections, Sheikh Rashid has announced his resignation, but I am sure he will again contest with an aim to return to the same Parliament.

Imran and veteran leader like Sheikh Sahib must know that institutions are important, not individuals. You can curse the rulers and the government of the day, but not the institution, not the Constitution and not the system, as you yourself are the product of this very system. It has made you Pakistan's leading politician from a leading cricketer.

Dr Tahirul Qadri, who can't even contest the elections because of his alleged Canadian nationality, had used similar language against the Parliament in 2012 and again in 2014. Even he did not use such harsh words against Constitution, democracy and Parliament on Wednesday. On the contrary, he declared that whatever he will do would be in the parameters of the constitutional rule.

With only few months left for elections, it is better if both opposition and the ruling parties concentrate on the selection of candidates, whatever electoral reforms need to be implemented, and start looking for good candidates for a caretaker government.

Sheikh Rashid is like Iftikhar Arif's 12th man (his famous poem) and lives in his own world. He is a popular speaker and most-sought-after TV shows participant. Once a closest aide of Nawaz Sharif, he never had any problem in serving military dictators from Zia to Musharraf. If Imran starts following Sheikh Rashid, one wonders where the PTI will finally end.

Imran has been Pakistan's most successful cricketer, most successful captain, hero of World Cup-92; he enjoys the reputation of a clean politician and in the last 20 years of his political career, he has brought his party to the position where it can win the next elections and he can become the prime minister to fulfil his ‘final dream’.

The road to PM House passes through Parliament, which he is abusing, today. If his party wins the next elections, they will first have to take oath in this very house, followed by election of the leader of the house.

What happened in Lahore on Wednesday, clearly reflected the failure of the opposition to muster enough support for a good cause i.e. justice for Model Town martyrs, and seven years old Zainab. But, what one witnessed on the ‘grand opposition stage’, was a divided house. 'Divided they stand, united they fall’. It was more of a big convention in which key speakers were divided into two sessions, rather a grand public meeting.

But, these setbacks are part of politics and the PML-N or the government would be naive if they think that Imran Khan's popularity graph has come down. It could be the strong dissent of PTI workers and supporters of Imran Khan against the decision of sharing the stage with the PPP and former president, Asif Ali Zardari.

Similarly, absence of large number of the PPP supports and workers is also a second wake-up call for party leadership that the former president and co-chairperson is still not acceptable for the electorate in Punjab and he should once again listen to his senior colleagues’ advice, given to him in Dubai in 2015, during a marathon three days meeting to ‘quit’.

The independence of Pakistan was the result of a democratic struggle, led by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and not by any dictator. The first attack on the constitutional rule and Parliament came soon after his death in 1948. Since then, the majority rule always faced problems with those who believe in extra-constitutional rule.

Had we accepted the majority rule in this country, accepted the supremacy of the Constitution and the Parliament, we would not have produced G M Syed or Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman. Pakistan would not have faced tragedy of 1971. All this happened because the minority was not ready to accept the majority.

It is our dilemma that we could not produce leaders and good rulers because democracy was never allowed to take roots. But, if dictators imposed leaders and their self-styled rule on this country for over 34 years and judiciary provide them legitimacy, why to blame, abuse and curse the Parliament. Imran, you are hope for millions and one expects from someone like you respect for the institution as you yourself believe in institution building.  

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang.

Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO