View from the Gallery
Gossip corners ruled the roost in the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday as the proceedings got dry and dull by any standard at the end of the day. In the afternoon hours, majority members left their seats and PTI legislator Dr Shireen Mazarri, perhaps bored by the whole aura, felt tempted to point out the quorum.
What a relief it brought to those, especially treasury members, still trapped in the proceedings, one way or the other. Generally, they are the ones to bear brunt of criticism and taunts for a long haul as the opposition requisitioned session transforms into a regular sitting, extended into next week now. Such is the session at hand and Thursday was one typical day.
Habitual lack of interest in the proceedings of the NA by shy opposition and treasury backbenchers was a general complaint of yesteryears. Much to their relief, their numbers have alarmingly swelled lately as a new flock of vocal, confident, and prominent legislators has also joined in owing to completely different reasons of their own.
Alarmingly, some first-line legislators of opposition and treasury alike, including ministers, are fast becoming part and parcel of this “absentee group” leaving their respective chief whips in utter confusion, and helpless mode. Interestingly, it is their busy schedule, prior commitments with largely the private news channels that keep this new breed of members away from the Lower House of Parliament.
Situation never changes even if the house meets in the morning and their prime time shows happen by the evening. Else, flashy cameras, anxious news channels reporters, live coverage temptation is enough for many to throng the main exit/entry of the parliament every day without fail. Loaded with interesting words and phrases here, they find a quick opportunity to make it to the airwaves, rather wait for their turn in the legislative assembly to speak, and that too without being noticed. Keeping this in mind, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq lately assured live streaming of the house proceedings soon. “Will it bring back the elusive members” is any body’s guess.
On Thursday, as the chair was trying to get on with business quickly by afternoon hours, and legislators from across the political divide, thin in presence, however indulged heavily in gossip. Two, three or four in numbers, one could see scores of such gossip corners, spread across the opposition- treasury divide. Ministers like Khawaja Asif, Saad Rafique, Zahid Hamid, and even Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah, Elder Zardari sister-Nafeesa Shah duo, you name it, anyone and everyone was availing a discussion cum laughter time of his own.
Occupied at that time by Deputy Speaker Mr Abbasi, most members take for granted his skills as an administrator. It was naturally difficult from the elevated press gallery corner to overhear what was actually cooking up, but our moles informed later on it was all about the latest NAB controversy, hyped by the latest statement of Premier Sharif. Repercussions, apprehensions, expectations and fears were at play as the members discussed the issue thread bear.
Every other person was naturally trying to twist and turn the situation towards his own political goal. A prominent minister was quoted as telling his associates Premier Sharif spoke timely, swiftly when unbridled NAB officials were already in action to intimidate some top bureaucrats, some kith and kin of political personalities and of a recently resigned provincial governor, and many more.
Such officials, he believed, acted in haste, even when they knew who were the less prominent, already earmarked, soft targets in the Punjab and KP provinces for the accountability body to pounce on. All this to balance out Sindh government’s grievances, and repeated complaints. So in the days to come, three main stake holders of the set up in place – PML-N, PTI, and PPP -- ruling in the four provinces and centre, would tend to discourage fireworks in the National legislature on this issue in the wake of recent warning by Prime Minister Sharif to the NAB. The situation would be handled, if need be, through low intensity skirmishes or brawls, on the floor of the house, in the days ahead. Nothing more. At the moment, PPP claims to have received most on the accountability related flak for reasons of its own, PML-N and PTI governments in the centre have adjusted their positions swiftly, with PTI doing brisk work lately to clip the wings of its own tailor made provincial Ehtasab Commission. Now, NAB quickly adjusting its position through the recent clarification, admitting mistakes in procedure and excesses by officials, government circles believe the situation may not arise to clip its wings through legislation.
So as the gossip corners started culminating, Sheikh Rashid came back to his seat after visiting Opposition Leader’s circle nearby. Known for being worst critic of PPP, and a staunch PTI ally, the “son of Rawalpindi” can be handy in advising political points, tricks etc. This was exactly what he did on Thursday as the proceedings got dull by afternoon hours, and most of the members were planning to leave under one pretext or the other. Sheikh Rashid approached the Opposition leader and advised him to take on the treasury on the recent statement of health minister on unchecked price hike of medicines by companies, and made the government and her ministry a laughing stock, nationwide. Khurshid Shah came into action then and there. Employing all the rhetoric and emotion at his disposal, taunting government to take away anything and everything from hapless masses, except medicine and the already broken healthcare system.
He may be a one man army liked and disliked by many, but when it comes to creating some ripples in the National Assembly or in television talk shows, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has still got some timely tricks of the trade. Some of his political predictions may have faltered, some rubbished by ground realities of the time, the experiences politician in him still survives, pulls some crowd as he anxiously awaits the PML-N government to crumble. Is he hoping against hope?
