FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The Senate session, the first in the new parliamentary year that began on March 12, concluded after 20 days sitting, with debate on price hike of food items and the necessities of life on Wednesday.
However, before the proceedings began, Professor Ibrahim made a polite enquiry whether the President would fulfill the Constitutional obligation to make the opening address after the general elections.
The President has to set the date for this address. But there is silence from that end although Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has expressed the view that President must address the Parliament. The good Professor had another punch line enquiry. What about the session's Calendar of the Senate? He has not received one, and he is waiting for that.
Both Chairman Senate Mohammadmian Soomro as well as the Leader of the House Raza Rabbani, were silent and did not respond to the first question. How could they when they would not know the President's mind. In one way the question looked unfair when many Members in the House recognised him as de-facto holder of that office, and not the dejure occupant of the Presidency.
The lawyers' community and the civil society are leading protests, which have resumed again after the default on two deadlines for the expected Resolution on restoration of Judiciary had passed without results on May 12, and that is casting doubts on the PPP's ability to adhere to commitments.
The session' calendar is a done thing in most parliaments. The calendar enables lawmakers to know the exact dates on which legislature enables them to devote time for constituency work. Although Raza Rabbani assured Senator Ibrahim that the Senate is well on its way of preparing a calendar, which means some progress has been made on this matter.
We cannot say the same about the National Assembly. Here, dates of session are made contingent to political happenings. Therefore the National Assembly has worked for years on end without this Calendar, though last year a promise was made to prepare one. But then the emergency was imposed and the Assembly was dissolved.
However, if a Calendar were prepared, the Assembly would have to meet on schedule. On the last day of the debate, we had two visitors in the Senate, Interior Advisor Rahman Malik, as well as Senator Ishaque Dar. Rahman Malik made a declaration of fighting corruption, and asked for details from a few Members who were giving instances of bending of rules in high places.
As for Senator Dar he made a fleeting appearance and sat down on the Minister's bench, forgetting that he had tendered resignation only a day ago. But he could have been absent indeed. The debate was connected with the PPP's slogan for providing Roti to the populace. PPP Minister Syed Naveed Qamar had a huge task before him to convince senators that his government was up to the task, because Senator Ilyas Bilour was shouting that flour in his area was being sold at a rate, which was a thousand rupees above the Punjab price.
He also had a grouse against the stoppage of wheat past the Punjab province. Some senators put smuggling and hoarding of foodstuff in the same category as terrorism. It is terrorism against the people. However, Naveed Qamar made a good presentation, making clear at the outset that he was not the Finance Minister.
But then he said the present government was shifting its focus to the development of agriculture, away from the services sector, and promised to make enough food stuff available at Utility Stores at affordable prices. He would also make sure that enough grains were made available for local consumption before they were exported. But he assured the government that he would ensure good compensation for them in the next year's budget.