FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

Since September 6, 1965 when war broke out between Pakistan and India, it was the first time that our National Assembly was in the session here on Tuesday. Forty years down the road everything - values, concepts, perceptions - has metamorphosed, but what one witnessed in terms of remembrance of that day on the floor of the House was shocking.
It was the private members day and the opposition was given free hand; also because instead of Speaker Amir Hussain, Deputy Speaker Sardar Yaqub was in the chair. MMA's Liaquat Baloch took the floor.
On this day, "When the armed forces and the people are drifting apart", a message should go from the floor of the National Assembly, and that should be that the army will give up power and return to barracks. Pakistan of today is caught in the vortex of crises and the army alone cannot bring it back from the precipice.
Liaquat Baloch's was a telling reminder and was heard by both sides of the aisle in silence. But not for long enough. "You the MMA voted in favour of the 17th Amendment that has given constitutional legitimacy to General Pervez Musharraf's presidency", butted in Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan. "He (Pervez Musharraf) should be treated as an elected president. I ask this member not to disobey the Constitution...It is shameful to do it and then undo it...to earn cheap reputation."
The chair thought it proper that Liaquat Baloch should respond. "Because of the recent local government elections Sher Afgan is under pressure, but he should not forget that the Constitution also embodies Article 6...as for our backing for the 17th Amendment we provided exit to Musharraf.
And, as for these political travellers their ever-changing loyalties helped in precipitating military power...Since the Parliament is being bypassed the matter will now be settled on the streets." By then the atmosphere was quite charged and shouts of "Lota, Lota" for Sher Afgan could be heard from the backbenches.
Bristling with anger Sher Afgan now got up: "I thank all those who likened me to 'Lota'. It is something good as it cleanses the body of filth...I don't see anybody here on these benches", he said casting a sweeping glance on both sides of the aisle, "who did not take side of the army. They all are the products of Fauji flowerpots".
Then the mike was with Aitzaz Ahsan: "Sher Afgan has openly conceded that he is proud of being 'Lota'. In fact, the entire government is full of 'Lotas'; some relegates of Nawaz Sharif and some from Peoples Party. Sher Afgan had won on our ticket." He said something more too, but that was declared unparliamentary and was expunged by the chair.
Babur Ghauri of MQM did not agree with Sher Afgan. Having refuted his colleague he then took on the MMA for its long association with the military. Riaz Pirzada, another treasury member, was the next speaker who snubbed both the ministers. Like 'Lota' there are a few other household implements that are dual-purposed, was his advice to Sher Afgan.
And, for Ghauri he had the greeting: "Congratulations, that you have become a good boy now". "What good has come about that we should talk about...Our privilege motions remain unattended, because only that takes place, which pleases the government," Pirzada said, who is bitter about the conduct of the recent local government elections.
When debate gets too serious the untamed sense of humour of Hafiz Hussain Ahmad provides the necessary relief. According to him, "Sher Afgan has confused September 6 with December 17.
He is the same Sher Afgan who made his first entry into the present assembly shouting "Pervez Musharraf Murdabad". He charged the president of 'cheating' the nation by backing out from his words given to the 150 million people that he would surrender his military cap by December 31, 2004. And, as for Ghauri, he asked why his leader Altaf Hussain is afraid of returning to Pakistan. His definition of Altaf Hussain was, however, expunged at the protest of Babur Ghauri.
It was Mehmud Khan Achakzai's warning that lent some sobering effect to the atmosphere that by now had become pretty boisterous. "Forget about who did what to whom. We all are wearing the same dress in this saloon. Pakistan, today, is confronted with the most serious crises of its existence - the crises created by the politics of its intelligence agencies.
Time has come that the military should be told that running the country is not its responsibility...If we kept silent the entire edifice will come down crashing. Restore democracy in which the armed forces should have no role, whatsoever." Major Tanveer Hussain (Retd) was the next speaker. His speech forced the chair to observe "all the remarks that are unparliamentary but I did not notice are hereby expunged".
Maulana Muhammad Sherani, an astute scholar of Islamic history, opened his speech with the bitter observation: "Not a word has been spoken here that should justify the poor country's enormous expenditure on this house." In an oblique reference to the military rule, he said, "It was yet to be decided if the real masters are the ones who pay the salary or those who get the salary." By now MP Bhandara was on his feet for about half an hour. The chair gave him the floor and, in return, earned the rebuke: "You have no right to put off the agenda for the day, for every minute costs the people something like Rs 70,000."
Sardar Yaqub returned to the agenda, which was heavy, being the private members day, with 134 items on it.
But before that he wanted the House to dispose of an adjournment motion submitted by scores of members for discussion on the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products. Sher Afgan opposed its admissibility arguing that the issue was before the Supreme Court, therefore, sub judice. Aitzaz Ahsan opposed this perception. Before this would generate another controversy the chair adjourned the House to meet again on Friday morning. That was the sweet and sour remembrance of September 6, commonly known as Defence Day.