FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani took the long due initiative to come to the National Assembly on a Private Members' Day just as it was preparing to discuss an Adjournment motion, Tuesday, regarding the missile attack on May 21 at Bajaur by American manned predators aircrafts killing, as many 18 people.
Since the President was present in the House on this occasion, he should have utilised the occasion to send a strong message to the world regarding the security situation in the world particularly in view of strong condemnation the incident has evoked from UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon, as well as other world leaders.
Considering the fact that the discussion was taking place in the House only one day after the fatal bomb blast at the Danish Embassy, the occasion should have been resulted in united and unanimous response. However, the discussion converged in segments, one part accusing the United States for the war of terror which is being callously conducted to bring death and destruction on innocent tribal people who since 1947 have loyally stood as sentinel over the Durand Line and protected it with love and care.
Suddenly, we began to hear of American proxy war of terror that had irked the tribal peoples and had played havoc with their loyalty to their country. The tribals were angry, and possibly had an adversarial relation with their own government. Force and weapons used there had broken the peace equilibrium in Bajaur as well as Kurrum agency.
Members on both sides of the divide passionately argued for employing dialogue for pacifying the tribal people. Without their co-operation peace would not prevail in the area. Another argument repeatedly used by Members emphasised that construction funds did not reach the people of the area instead they disappeared.
Above all, the debate turned into condemnation of President Musharraf, with vociferous slogans of 'Go, Musharraf, Go,' coming especially from PML-N Members. The TV talk show held on Monday night between a TV anchor person and former Chairman of Federal Public Services Commission Lieutenant General Gulzar Kiyani (Retd) became the launching pad for the vociferous debate targeting on the person of Pervez Musharraf.
Iqbal Ahsan, Tehmina Daulatana, Maulana Imdadullah (Balochistan) Syed Hamid Kazmi, Maulana Ataur Rahman Engineer Shaukatullah, Taj Jamali did most of the talking. They repeated any number of charges, including, that the plane hijack which provided an opportunity to General Musharraf to topple the Nawaz Government was a fabricated happening, and that Musharraf had badly fumbled at the Kargil, and Nawaz Sharif had to rush to the USA and meet President Clinton to save the honour of the Army.
At one point, Taj Jamali said something unparliamentarily, which was rightly expunged by Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, then sitting in the presiding officers' chair.
However, it needs mention that Leader of the opposition Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, was present in the Assembly. This afternoon he had issued complaints against the Punjab Government accusing it of filing hundreds of FIRs against PML-Q Members. We might also mention report of the day which stated that President Musharraf had asked his friends and admirers to launch SOS action for his defence.
We might also mention that we witnessed some of this defensive action which was launched in the House by Mervy Memon, Khairunnissa as well as Amir Muqam who thought the Members on the Treasury Benches had worked themselves into Musharraf phobia. Their strategy did not seem to bring any gains for the PML-Q Members, but provoked highly orchestrated dissent. At one time it was apprehended that a fight might break out in the House between the two contending parties.
Fortunately, Syed Khursheed Shah, PPP chief whip, came forward to calm the House with a statement that the Opposition had the right to express its opinions. The Treasury benches are expected to listen calmly, and reply to the argument, if necessary.
MQM's Haidar Abbas Rizvi pleaded that the House should behave in a decent manner and show to the world that 'this mature nation is capable of resolving problems in a much decent way.'
In fact, six ladies, Madame Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, Faryal Talpur, Mervy Memon, Fauzia Wahab, Kashmala Tariq, Tehmina Daulatana, made the greatest impression today. Faryal Talpur was sworn in on Monday to represent the constituency of Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Today, a call attention notice stood in her name for rescuing Moenjo Daro from oblivion. The Moen Ja Daro ruins, lying about 80 kilometres from Larakana, and the seat of 5000 year old civilisation.
Sherry Rehman responded to Faryal's enquiry and informed the House of the Unesco efforts since the last 24 years to save water logging at the remains. Kashmala created a stir by requesting Speaker Fehmida Mirza to launch a new tradition by accepting a Private Members Bill which she had sponsored since about two years ago. Dr Fehmida Mirza's reply may have surprised quite a few Members, she referred to a number of steps initiated by the present government to make new departures towards democracy.
May be she failed to realise that as the Speaker of the federal legislature she has vowed to uphold the supremacy of the Parliament over other state organs, and the government is totally subservient to the legislature and is accountable to the National Assembly.
However, to take a neutral stance is a difficult task for successive National Assembly Speakers who consider themselves beholden to the party which nominates them as Speakers. Tehmina Daulatana created a furor as well as in the House by relating a story of the dead dog which had fallen in the well. She counselled that the dog must be removed from the well to stop bad odour. What she really meant was that the nation must oust the President, a slogan which we keep hearing more and more these days.