FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The 24th session of National Assembly concluded on Thursday, but on what a tumultuous note! In less than two hours that the sitting lasted there were three walkouts, one suspension of House business triggered by lack of quorum, loud sparring across the aisle, 'Go Musharraf Go' slogans, a bit of legislation and also a resolution. The proceedings started an hour behind schedule, as the parliamentary leaders wrestled with situation created by a 'no' by the Belgian government to Maulana Samiul Haq's entry, who formed part of the Pakistani senators delegation.
Both sides of the House had agreed to pass a unanimous resolution condemning Brussels action, but they had clashing perspectives on why Pakistan earned this ignominy. While Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan was keen on passing the resolution without much of debate the opposition would not accept that approach. Finding himself in tight corner the chair, Deputy Speaker Sardar Yaqub, allowed the members that they could make brief comments.
As expected these comments were very bitter, and quite surprisingly that some came from government members like Riaz Pirzada. Liaquat Baloch blamed the refusal of entry to Maulana Samiul Haq on what he termed the failure of Pakistan's foreign policy. Federal Health Minister Naseer Khan ridiculed the refusal by Belgium just because the Maulana wore beard, and pleaded that the whole House should take a unified stand. Hafiz Hussain Ahmad accused the Western governments of practising "double standards; in that while it would not let Maulana Samiul Haq step into Brussels the "traitors of Islam" are welcomed and offered asylum.
But Aitzaz Ahsan had a different perspective on this episode. "We must know the cause of this refusal...If you do not give respect to your parliamentarians in your own country why should the outsiders." But that offended the treasury benches and a kind of rumpus started taking hold of the proceedings. Imran Khan then took the floor: "Maulana Samiul Haq was refused entry because of Musharraf's cry for protection that otherwise fundamentalists would take over." But before he could proceed with this thesis the chair shut off his mike, triggering a walkout by him, followed by others on the opposition benches.
A part of the opposition, however, returned soon, to hear Raja Pervaiz Ashraf make a passionate speech accusing the government of adopting Fascist approach towards the PPPP workers and leaders. Sher Afgan is "assassin of democracy", he said and led another walkout, but not before raising "Go Musharraf Go" slogans. From the parliament building the PPPP members walked up to the Supreme Court next door to court arrest. But nobody obliged them.
As soon as the opposition left the House, Sher Afgan started reading out the anti-Belgium resolution, but he was interrupted; first by the Fata members, who form part of the government. When he did not stop reading out the resolution they too staged a walkout. But it was Riaz Pirzada who stopped the minister when he asked why this hurry? How would the resolution be unanimous when the opposition is not present?" That was the end of that resolution: Should it be declared passed?
Now the opposition returned. The floor was with M.P.Bhandara. He was furious over the opposition's moves. "We should balance up with their moves: When the opposition comes back we should go out". But he also made one interesting observation. History is witness that "a president"-he meant President Robert Mugabe-was refused entry by the United Kingdom and the Gujarat Chief Minister Moody did not get the American visa.
Then came the MMA's second walkout, this time protesting the alleged murder of their worker in Karachi. As they left the House, PML (N) member Rana Mehmudul Hasan pointed out that the House was short of quorum. The chair ordered counting and there was no quorum. He suspended the business and ordered ringing of bells. A few government members returned but the House was still short of quorum, nevertheless, business was resumed. With opposition members gone from the scene the government pushed through some legislation. No debate no discussion, and, to quote Bhandara, not even the copies of bills under consideration were available to the members.
However, there was a rosy side to this grim scenario. One of the bills passed by the House provided that members' salaries and allowances would be "automatically" revised upwardly along with the government servants' emoluments, expected in the coming Budget. That done National Assembly was prorogued.