FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The irony of the fate is that except the leader of the house no other member of the ruling PPPP was present to take part in the debate on presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament -the main agenda item of Monday's Senate proceeding, which started with a point of order on the unanimous resolution for national security passed after the conclusion of the in-camera sitting the other day.
The joint sitting came under heavy scrutiny of the senators, reason being the recent drones attack in Bajaur agency killing more than twenty people, as lawmakers demanded immediate formation of a house committee for the implementation of the resolution, calming them down the leader of the house assured them that he will convey their sentiments to the government.
The Upper House also showed its indignation over the gruesome murder of a 17-year old girl in Khairpur district, Sindh and passed a resolution to bring the criminals to book. Lady members held a token walkout from the House but on the assurance of leader of the house, Raza Rabbani that he will meet Sindh chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah on Monday and present the complete report of the incident in the house tomorrow (Tuesday) they rejoin the proceedings.
With a series of allegations PML-Q lawmaker, Nisar Memon started the debate on presidential address, saying that false cases were being framed against their party chief whip Parvaiz Elahi and other party leaders and are being implicated in Karsaz carnage.
What to talk of anything else even the constitutional amendments like abolition of 17th amendment and article 58(2)(b) for which president himself gave go ahead signal to the government were not given any heed, having consensus of almost all the political parties. PML-Q, the single largest seat winner in Balochistan was deprived of government formation through horse-trading, he criticised the government by quoting a proverb: "Nero was playing flute when people were dying" on killing of innocent civilians in tribal areas.
Raza Rabbani immediately responded to Nisar Memon saying: "Unfortunately General (retired) Musharraf did not address the parliament as according to him (Rabbani) it was against the dignity of the then president to address the uncouth people. Making a comparison in venomous tone, Rabbani relied that president Zardari did not abrogate constitution nor was a usurper, but a legitimate president elected by the people representatives, who saved the institution of democracy for which the opposition fought for eight long years.
Diverting his attention towards Memon, Rabbani furiously made his point that attacks by US forces were also carried out in previous regime's tenure, but they did not have even the moral courage to protest, instead they most of the time took the blame upon themselves. Musharraf also dented the Pakistan's principled stance on Kashmir issue, which is again taken up by the new democratic government in its real perspective. There are also some news reports that Musharraf is vying to be head of king's party, he should keep in mind that he must be ready to face the consequences, i e, corruption charges and above all ban for two years for taking part in the politics, Rabbani concluded.
Ishaq Dar of PML-N, who also remained finance minister for few weeks hailed the joint resolution on national security, for which a roadmap has been prepared, but the weakest area in Pakistan is implementation of different programmes. Substantiating his statement he quoted a Japanese scholar who was of the view that: "The thing which Pakistan lacks the most is implementation, implementation, implementation....". He stressed the need of early formation of committee on national security.
Enemies, whish list was to see economic mismanagement in Pakistan like Yugoslavia. Danial Aziz, former chairman of National Reconstruction Bureau admitted in a TV programme that it started by the blessings of our enemies in 2004. We faced the simile situation in 1999 for which tough decisions have to be taken like reducing fiscal and external account deficits to save ourselves from the IMF programme.
ANP Senator Haji Adeel demanded of the government a full-fledged finance minister as he was critical that after having the bitter experience of a banker, the government has once again filled the slot with a banker. An elected member parliament is desired at the moment to resolve the NFC award stalemate.