FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The first reading of the National Security bill began in the National Assembly on Monday evening, following an understanding between the two sides of aisle that they would follow the rules of the game.
The Opposition would speak about 10 hours on the bill's three readings expected to conclude on coming Saturday before being passed by a simple majority.
Before the house settled down to serious business of legislation there was a token walkout by the combined opposition over Speaker Amir Hussain's inability to issue production order of the PML (N) jailed leader Javed Hashmi.
There was also that frightening story told by PML (N)'s Abid Sher Ali how he was picked up from his home by police at the dead of cold December night. And, there too was a short-lived rumpus when the report of the Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights on the bill was moved in the house. But, somehow, there was the eerie feeling that the entire show was carefully calibrated and was being acted out as a stage show.
The growing realisation, if you please, among the Opposition that it has to follow the rules of the game and settle down to its role as 'Her Majesty's Opposition' was, however, seemed to be upstaged by some so-far inexplicable developments on the government side.
Jamali-Shujaat tussle for turf has become talk of the town. It has not yet surfaced in the National Assembly, although it must be much more intense at this forum than anywhere else. But one brief but sharply noticeable incident did tell the whole story.
Routinely, the treasury benches thump desks when the Prime Minister enters the house. But, on Monday a large section of the government members thumped desks when Chaudhry Shujaat entered the house. However, some from the same side did not when Prime Minister Jamali came in a few minutes later.
Crystal gazers are talking of a number game, which is not yet in favour of the Chaudhry of Gujrat. And, as for the Pindi-walas, add the crystal gazers, they may go halfway with the Chaudhary-that let the present incumbent be disposed off-but who comes next would not be to the pleasure of the Chaudhry. Jamali, who was not rated as 'cometh the man cometh the hour' when he took over, has struck deep roots.
Should Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain challenge his position, he would get support from the PPP, MMA and a considerably large chunk of PML (Q).
The house opened proceedings almost an hour behind schedule, as the two sides had comprehensive discussion in the business advisory committee to settle the line of action in the house and that consumed some time.
During the question hour, most of the queries were about the IT ministry and its minister, Awais Leghari, tackled them well.
Speaker Amir Hussain also sometime goes out of the way to bail out the government-in the name of conducting the business of the house 'according to rules'.
He would not hesitate to condescend telling a member he would like to "promote" him.
But even then Amir Hussain's impartiality remains on the line. The top leaders of the main segments of opposition, Chaudhry Nisar Ali, Liaquat Baloch and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, greatly embarrassed him by reminding him that nothing has come of his (Speaker's) promise to secure production of Javed Hashmi in the house.
To their fairly provocative speeches, the Speaker did not respond, and earned a token walkout from the Opposition.
When the concerned minister moved the NSC bill, as reported by the standing committee, the Opposition voiced rejection.
Then, its member Liaquat Baloch moved that the bill be referred to the Islamic Ideology Council. On putting it to the house, the majority rejected this plea, and not surprisingly the PPPP did vote for this reference. A PPP member later said his party does not rate the Council higher than the National Assembly, and more so now when all of its members have retired and there are no new appointments yet. Liaquat Baloch then moved that the NSC bill be published to elicit public opinion. The house rejected this too.
Till a day before, the general impression was that the passing of NSC bill would not take more than a day. But it appears now that the National Assembly would discuss it for a full week before approving. What does it mean? May be the movers of the bill thought it worthwhile that it should be fully debated, and not be described by historians as a fly-by-night operation, as quite a few pieces of legislation including constitutional amendments are contemptuously termed.