The treasury members in the Senate on Friday expressed grave concern over threats to the national security and laid emphasis on taking the Parliament into confidence facing these challenges.
The ruling coalition senators, in their speeches, were upset over increasing ratios of poverty and inflation rates, adding to the number of unemployed.
The senators from both the sides of the divide focussed primarily on the past, some of them touching the present and yet a very few suggesting on how to go about in the days to come.
PML-Q Senator Kamil Ali Agha's remarks about PPP leadership triggered pandemonium. However, certain clarifications by Mushahid Hussain Syed evoked desk thumping by the opposition benches.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed was arguably the most impressive from the government side, suggesting active role of the Parliament for conciliation and decision-making was key to safeguarding the vital national interests.
The ruling PML senator called for efforts to strengthen Parliament and the concept of national security by involving the masses and their representatives in defusing pressures.
He proposed, "We should stop talking about the past, which was not too good to be remembered. We should look towards the future for building a better Pakistan."
Referring to the charges of nuclear proliferation, the former information minister said that all the political governments protected the nuclear programme.
Without mentioning names, the senator said that some political parties and politicians were engaged in issuing statements to score points, which should be shunned in greater national interest and political harmony.
Mushahid indirectly conceded that Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) was the product of the agencies, while referring to their politics and demands of re-writing the Constitution.
At the very outset, MMA Senator from NWFP Syed Murad Ali Shah said that it was a point to ponder why Indian Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and US Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld praised President Musharraf's speech.
He alleged that the president's speech offered no solutions to the problems, highlighted during the joint sitting of the Parliament.
The senator criticised Musharraf for associating sectarianism and other menaces with Islam and Pakistan, adding that these problems stemmed out of former USSR's invasion of Afghanistan.
After every eight minutes, one murder takes place in the United States, there is seething row between American whites and blacks. There are 16 separatist movements going on in India, but their leaders never make mention of these in their speeches then why Musharraf spoke about the threats to nuclear programme and occupied Kashmir cause? He asked.
Murad Shah, who is a physician, deplored the role of the United States in the global politics, saying every Afghan appeared to be Osama and Taleban to America.
The theme of ruling party Senator Tariq Azeem was economy and the improvement made during the last four years.
Making a comparison, he said that unlike the GDP growth of 3.1 percent per annum in 1996-99, it was brought up to 5.3 percent in 2003-04.
Likewise, the inflation rate that stood at 8.4 percent in 1996-1999 was reduced down to 4 percent in 2003-04.
Describing President Musharraf as a saviour of Pakistan, he said that owing to the military government policies, total debt was brought down from $ 38 billion to $ 34.1 billion. Sparing 33 percent more for development, the debt servicing was cut down to 33 percent of the total revenues.
About exiled leadership, the senator said that nobody was forced in to exile. The exiled political figures may return, but looters won't be spared, he said referring to Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
Disputing his claims, PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar said that if the inflation rate was 8 percent in 1999, could it be brought down to 4 percent in four years. Had inflation been under control, the cost of living would not have been that much high, Dar said.
He did not agree with the treasury member that there had been decline in total debts, saying contrary to that, there was an increase of $ 2 billion in external debt in the last two years.
The PML senator said that neither he nor Sartaj Aziz had ever indulged in fudging and challenged to resign as senator if a House Committee proved he committed fudging.
A ruling ally MQM Senator M. Ali Barohi praised Musharraf for identifying the ills in the society and proposing their solutions. However, he added that those who talked of provincial autonomy and independent use of provinces own natural resources were always labelled as traitors.
He drew the attention of the House towards rampant poverty and joblessness and asked the politicians what they had given to the country and its people in 56 years.
The senator, who was elected after the demise of MMA President Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, wanted to know how many parliamentarians from poor families had reached the Parliament this time.
He proposed that all the natives of this country should hold themselves accountable.
MMA Senator Dr M. Saeed described the ongoing operation in tribal areas, a matter of shame, as Pakistan forces were acting under US command.
About the charges of nuclear proliferation, he said, "Who is not involved in proliferation. The West made nuclear bombs and played as exporters and middlemen. But under a conspiracy are trying to target Pakistan and its loyal scientists."
He said the West today talked about a tolerant society. What tolerance, they were banning scarf, was this reflective of being tolerant.
The MMA senator blamed the military for Dhaka fall, Indian occupation of Siachen Glacier and alleged that under Musharraf's rule, Pakistan had lost sovereignty.
Yasmin Shah, a ruling senator, said President Musharraf had taken right steps at right time to save the country from crisis after crisis.
She demanded of the opposition to praise the government policies, which they believed were correct, instead of criticism for the sake of criticism.
Others who spoke included Ismail Buledi, Raza M. Raza and Sanaullah Baloch.
Comments
Comments are closed.