Isn't it ironical! Now that the opposition is threatening to resign en bloc, the National Assembly, in a show of unprecedented alacrity, set a record on Tuesday by disposing of all 100 items on the orders of the day.
It was the private members day and the opposition had moved almost all items on the agenda, including a number of legislative bills, seeking constitutional amendments and some calling attention notices.
Normally, the house would not take up even one-third of the agenda, but on Tuesday, an extremely co-operative speaker Amir Hussain saw to it that all items are taken care of.
Even parliamentary affairs minister Sher Afgan was condescending: he expressed readiness to create rapport between the opposition and leader of the house, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, to firm up a united stand for greater provincial autonomy.
Opposition members, including Mujeeb Pirzada, Qurban Ali Shah, Rauf Mengal, Mehmud Khan Achakzai and others had moved for leave to introduce a bill seeking a major restructuring of constitutional provisions dealing with division of powers between the centre and provinces. Rhyming perfectly with opposition members, Sher Afgan opined further delay in deleting the concurrent legislative list could harm the federation. Resultant to this bonhomie the bill stood introduced and referred to the relevant committee.
As an atmosphere of co-operation prevailed in the house a number of bills were introduced and referred to committees and others were deferred, excepting a bill moved by MMA members about "immoral advertisements". Piloting the bill, Farid Ahmad Piracha said advertisers tend to subvert dignity and respect that our society gives to woman.
Sabir Awan was of the opinion woman is being exploited for monetary gains. But Sher Afgan opposed the bill, arguing the said bill if made into law would hurt Pakistan's image abroad as well as it would negatively affect the business. That led to voting on the floor where the government defeated the opposition 62 to 37.
However, the house did not grant leave to M.P. Bhandara to move a series of amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 1992. He had proposed in case of absence of a member without leave from the house at the time of final count for quorum his pay and all allowances for that day be forfeited.
But Sher Afgan opposed it, to the satisfaction of all the rest in the house who did not support Bhandara. He has been a consistent critic of frequent quorum-triggered business suspensions, not only to make the assembly more productive in law making but also to justify its expenditure which, according to his calculation, is Rs 0.15 to 0.2 million per minute.
To a discerning mind the government's positive attitude in the National Assembly on Tuesday was symptomatic of the realisation in the inner sanctums of power corridors that Nawab Akbar Bugti's killing has come to pose no mean challenge to the Musharraf-Aziz setup. Dispassionate consideration to the lethal fallout of Bugti's death at corps commanders' meeting the other day followed by the top-level cabal in the Aiwan-e-Sadr last night must have indicated adoption of realistic handling instead of the gung ho approach that has taken the country to this sorry pass.
Developments outside the house were far less encouraging, however. By that time Rauf Mengal of Balochistan National Party was telling reporters that he would be offering to resign from the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Then there was the press conference by PML-N's Chaudhry Nisar Ali where he announced that a Grand National Alliance comprising all opposition political parties in the country is in the making and possibly may be announced on September 17 at the public meeting in Quetta. Resignations from assemblies and other elective offices, too, are also being seriously contemplated, he added.
But as for the MMA's resignations, there is some confusion. Its supreme council met here but could not decide if and when to offer resignations. Reports suggest the MMA will not leave the Balochistan Assembly in a huff, as it would mean helping in imposition of the governor's rule. By all accounts we are presently witnesses to interesting times. One more page would open on it Wednesday when the National Assembly meets.
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