FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The Senate proceedings on Thursday evening were generally docile and there was only one walkout and that too a token one. As soon as the question hour was over opposition's Liaquat Ali Bangalzai rose on a point of order to say that the host of Maulana Fazlur Rehman during the latter's visit to Paris was questioned by the French police. He wanted to know if our foreign office summoned the French ambassador to demand explanation for this insult to the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly. To this Raza Rabbani added his ire by describing the foreign policy a total failure in that it cannot ensure protection of citizens.
Professor Khursheed Ahmad observed the issue is not disrespect shown to one individual, as "It concerns Pakistan and its parliament...The leader of opposition is equal to the leader of house, but regrettably President Musharraf's reaction to this serious offence was casual."
Raza Muhammad Raza's statement on it was, however, expunged by acting Chairman Khalilur Rehman. Not differing with the opposition members' sentiments, Leader of the House Wasim Sajjad said the Foreign Office would be asked to "investigate and report" to the house. But Raza Rabbani was not happy with this offer. "We are not satisfied. We are staging a token walkout."
The short but exciting interval when the chair entertains a few points of order between the question hour and the legislative business has acquired the status of a regular practice. Once the house was through the points of order an adjournment motion by Professor Khursheed Ahmad about the sale of now banned drug Vioxx was taken up.
He had given this adjournment motion on October 12 but the drug is still being sold in Pakistan, he maintained. But health minister Naseer Khan ably handled the motion spelling out details of the action taken by the government to ensure that the deadly drug is removed from the shelves as quickly as possible. Satisfied with the minister's reply the member did not press the motion and it was dropped.
That spirit of accommodation continued and the government agreed to hand over its bill seeking some amendments to the Senate rules to the relevant committee, despite the fact that the chair had allowed the concerned minister to table the bill. Raza Rabbani was of the view that 15 days notice is required before the house rules can be debated and decided, unless the chair exercises his discretion to give exemption from this notice.
However, Raza Rabbani contended that the chair was not "careful" in exercising his discretion. The chair contested the member's assertion, and that raised the temperature but only slightly, but Professor Khursheed Ahmad's plea that the house is required to work with the spirit of give and take brought down the temperature. Wasim Sajjad agreed to postpone discussion on the bill and the matter was handed over to the rules committee with request for its report within 15 days.
The next item was putting before the Senate three ordinances including the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Ordinance, 2004. That kicked up a kind of debate. Raza Rabbani and Latif Khosa, both lawyers, not only criticised the promulgation of ordinances but they also saw a political angle to ordinance about bar councils.
But law minister Wasi Zafar rejected their stances saying the sole objective was to see that bar councils elections are not delayed.
The question hour as usual was hijacked by senators from Balochistan, and more so when the question is about gas. They also closely scrutinise how employment opportunities are handled by the Centre and jealously guard the interests of their people.
In sharp contrast, the senators from Punjab have a poor record to show. As if bitten by a guilty conscience they rarely defend the rights of their constituents.
How much is paid to the Nazims and their deputies who, to quote from the written reply to a question, are rendering "a national service for democracy on voluntary basis" was a revelation.
According to data supplied to the house an average Nazim in Punjab gets Rs 15000 per month as honorarium; official car/private car as per government rules, air travel (economy class); daily allowance @Rs 500 and stay in hotel on payment equal to three times of DA; entitled to house rent allowance @ Rs 30,000 per month; free medical treatment for self and family as admissible to Grade 20 civil servants; Rs 2000 per month entertainment allowance; and no-limit telephone facility for office and worth Rs 1500 per month for residence.
But the question of the day was about recoveries made by the National Accountability Bureau. According to information supplied to the house civil servants top the list, military stands in second position and the third and last position goes to politicians. With shouts of shame, shame, shame providing the backdrop, Sanaullah Baloch opined that the recovered money from the politicians is even less than the cost incurred by the military government to malign political leaders through ads in newspapers. Sher Afgan was there to fight back, though it was very much akin to tilting at the windmills.