FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

Within the Senate hall we chanced to have a glimpse of Senator Anwar Bhinder (PML-Q), Minister Abdul Razzaq Thaheem (ML-F) and Senator Ahmad Ali (MQM) busy in conversation with each other. Three or four Opposition members were also present there but they kept sitting and did not join in the conversation.
Until now the tradition has been that members, whichever side they belong to, would come forward to shake hands and exchange pleasantries, but what we saw in the Senate on Thursday afternoon was something new and extremely distressing, reflecting the hardened attitude in the mutual relationship between parliament members after the Karachi violence of last Saturday.
Once again this depressing attitude translated in the House when the Senate was called to session-30 minutes behind schedule. It was a non-event as far as the Senate was concerned for the sitting hardly lasted five minutes.
As soon as the Senate was called, Opposition Leader Raza Rabbani stood up immediately and raised his hand to press a point of order; followed by Minister Sher Afgan, who was probably a second late. Both began to speak together but Raza Rabbani protested that he had been up a wee second earlier than the minister.
In protest, he started to raise slogans 'Zalimo Hasab do, Khoon ka Jawab Do, Lathi goli ki Sarkar Naheen Chhale gee, and Go Musharraf, Go,' while the Opposition members were found beating desks and joined the Senate LOP in repeating the slogans. Thus in the Senate we witnessed a repeat performance of Tuesday in which the Opposition succeeded in creating pressure against the government.
Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro had just come to the House after meeting a delegation of journalists from Fata and Northern Areas. He tried to bring calm on the floor but gave up as a lost case after repeating "order, order' two or three times. Then he adjourned the House until Friday morning.
The Opposition stayed on in the House and continued demonstration and slogans for a few minutes. It is learnt that before the House met on Thursday the government tried to persuade the Opposition to agree to a statement from the government side. However, the Opposition thought the government was seeking to thwart them from its strategy of maintaining pressure. Both sides felt that whichever side made the first move would overwhelm the other side.
By being the first to rise Raza Rabbani tried in his way to block the government from giving a distorted version of Karachi violence on May 12, according to Opposition perception.
Law Minister Wasi Zafar was to present five Ordinances as listed in the Orders of the Day, but he was not seen on the Senate floor. Diversions: While talking with a few members we came to know that the Prime Minister has approved the Calendar of sessions of the fifth year of the Parliament. Efforts are now on to circulate a similar calendar of events for the Standing Committees, to enable committee members to know exact dates of the meeting of their particular Standing Committee.
Side by side, the National Assembly is now mulling over constituting a new Standing Committee to deal with ethics and conduct of members. It is proposed to have 16 members in this Standing Committee with the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs as ex-officio member.
The Ethics Committee would deal with declaration of assets and liabilities of members as well as their families. Members would also have to declare their interest in case of matters that would be the subject of discussions in committee meetings. The Ethics Committee plans to receive complaints and information regarding alleged improper conduct of parliament members and violation of rules committed by them.
In addition a Committee meeting is also being scheduled to consider a Bill to propose amendments in the Act relating to delimitation of constituencies. Here we may also refer to an earlier episode in which MNA Rahila Qazi alleged that a drama presented by Ajoka Theatre in Lahore had contents against Quranic injunctions. The National Assembly has now asked a comprehensive report on this subject from the Culture Ministry on Saturday.