Politicians cursing parliament are cursing themselves

ISLAMABAD: As the main organiser of the Lahore protest and its partners were licking their deep wounds after the extremely dismal turnout, the National Assembly made a severe dig at Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid for exclaiming ‘curse be on Parliament’.

The opposition parties’ complete failure to attract even a respectable crowd caused massive dejection and underscored people’s rejection of politics of disruption without any rhyme or reason. The unmannerly language preferred by Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid and Allama Tahirul Qadri copiously reflected their frustration over the masses’ big 'no' to anarchy and chaos. It will be foolish to expect that such a small gathering, collected by all the opposition forces will make the government pass sleepless nights. The agitators were unable to read people’s pulse and mood.

“Since Imran Khan is also a member of this Parliament, he not only cursed himself but also his party colleagues by abusing it. This man usually indulges in such bullshitting,” irate Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Ijaz Jhakrani roared. Although Asif Ali Zardari was part of the Lahore show, he did not call Parliament names. His PPP deeply denounced the remarks made by Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid. “Those speaking against Parliament have no right to be in politics,” Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah stressed and said he would not even use the language employed by them. Condemned be the persons, who resort to such invectives, he asserted.

Zardari’s brief speech was basically limited to attacking Nawaz Sharif. But at no point did he deprecate Parliament or democratic institutions. However, he bragged that he could pull down the government if he wishes, but he will not. By making this claim, he apparently referred to send the government packing by dissolving the Sindh Assembly and resignation of the PPP lawmakers from the federal legislature. Before the suitable reaction against Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid from the National Assembly, Bilawal took to the social media to say that the PPP respects Parliament; will always respect it; and cannot help the behaviour of others but will never endorse disrespecting Parliament.

Imran Khan has an old dream of becoming prime minister. It can come true only via Parliament. He has cursed and harangued the legislature that has not made him the premier as per will of the political sovereigns. This amply speaks his own political and moral standards.

In his fiery address to the Lahore protest, Sheikh Rashid, who announced his resignation from his National Assembly seat that he had squeezed by using the shoulders of the PTI in a by-election, had not sided with Imran Khan’s squad when it had quit the assemblies barring the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa legislature at the height of the 2014 sit-ins. He had once stated that had he handed his resignation it would have been quickly accepted because the government wanted him out of the law-making body. This showed his hypocritical approach. Even his present resignation is inconsequential because waving a piece of paper at a public place is useless. It becomes relevant, effective only when it is handed over to the Speaker and is properly authenticated before him. The PTI lawmakers had to previously eat a humble pie when they had withdrawn their resignations after months’ of violence and insults to Parliament in way back in 2014. They had happily accepted the salaries and other financial benefits being members of the National Assembly during the period they remained absented/resigned.

Imran Khan based his curse on Parliament on its approval of section 203 of the Elections Act 2017 that paved the way for a disqualified person (Nawaz Sharif in this case) to become office-bearer of a political party. However, this was the unique provision that was passed by the National Assembly twice. Once, it was approved when the Elections Act was cleared in toto. For the second time, the Lower House passed it when it rejected an amendment of the opposition parties including the PTI calling for the removal of this clause. Whether a piece of legislation is good or bad, it is the law of the land after it has been okayed by Parliament. As the luck would have it, the particular clause was once passed even by the opposition-dominated Senate when the anti-government lawmakers were outnumbered by the treasury legislators.

A day after the Lahore protest in which the PTI and PPP had jointly participated although Zardari and Imran Khan addressed it at different times to avoid being seen simultaneously sharing the same podium, puncturing even semblance of unity among opposition parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP joined voice in shaming Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid for their accusatory remarks against Parliament. This showcased their complete support and respect for the legislature.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif even went to the extent of proposing that the PTI chairman and Sheikh Rashid should be called by the privilege committee and if they refuse to oblige, they should be arrested and produced before it for abusing Parliament. He used strong language against them, but it was still much less severe as compared to what the duo continues to hurl.

Imran Khan may be desirous of leaving the assemblies to jolt the system, but is helpless to follow this strategy because of being handicapped by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, who has no plan to change his mind.

Confronted with a fractured polity, the opposition parties’ future protest after the Lahore show to rock the system, blocking the Senate election, has been largely diluted and dented. Key political parties cherish political dividends by using Allama Tahirul Qadri’s militant followers.