FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

No one seems to have believed Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Asharf and Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik that power crisis would end by December 2009 and law and order situation in Swat would improve in few days. Even coalition partners, Awami National Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), complained that actions on major issues are not forthcoming.
The worst day in both the Houses for the Minister and Advisor might have made an early departure of Prime Minister from the lower House. Rehman Malik offended coalition partner ANP by making a statement that the situation in troubled areas of NWFP has improved with the government measures. ANP Mir Hyder Shah stood up and said that Advisor was lying which was so sudden and shocking for all in the House that Prime Minister has to ask the Chair to expunge the word because it was not in conformity with Parliamentary behaviour. The visible grim Prime Minister left the House shortly.
This all began soon after the question hour with Pakistan Muslim League-N drawing the attention of the House towards volatile situation in Swat. On a point of order, Barjees Tahir said Sharia court in Swat summoned 45 politicians and we don't know about the fate of a resolution followed by the in camera briefing on security situation. He wanted to know about the mandate government got from this house for taking actions to bring about peace and tranquillity to troubling areas.
As advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior tried to read out a list of measures took the government to improve the security situation in different parts of the NWFP, the ANP Mir Hyder Shah lost patience and shouted that the advisor was lying. We have not heard such remarks from a coalition against the government. Such remarks have always come from the opposition but the reaction from the ANP members who could not go to even their constituencies would not have been different. What followed was more startling as the ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan implored the political parties to realise the situation in NWFP which Pakhtoons believe was not far from Punjab.
Asfandyar apology as well as cautious words created a pin drop silence in the House and his address invited appreciation from both the friends and foes. The PML-N who looked disgruntled and aggressive over some remarks by an ANP provincial Minister was pacified by an apology by the ANP Chief.
Asfandyar said all the political parties have apologised on past mistakes but no one seems to have learnt lesson. They seem to have been heading again toward the past they apologised and regretted and said this was not the time of point scoring rather the question what to do to save the country.
This system will run only if the country stay united. And county could only stay united if politicians would tolerate each other. We have to respect each other mandate and have to understand that Swat divided into two parts is burning. I would request my friends not to do politics and explained that Swat Taliban had abandoned accords with the provincial government because the provincial government refused to accept the deadline of Baitullah Mehsud, leader of Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the provincial government to resign.
This was the real issue, he said the provincial government before negotiating a deal, had asked whether the peace agreement would be with TTP or with Tehrik Taliban Swat (TTS). We were told that the peace agreement would be with TTS. He said he was ready to put his life on line if Taliban guarantee him that his life would end the killing of innocent people.
The Prime Minister left the House sensing its mood because Ayaz Amir of PML-N wanted him to admit that Taliban writ in Swat is stronger than the writ of the government in Pakistan. Similar situation Raja Pervez Asharf faced in the Senate as PML-Q Senator Pari Gul Agha did not believe and tried to interrupt the Minister responding members' point of orders on power crisis was only made quiet by the Chair.
The Senate began proceeding about 30 minutes beyond schedule with a heavy agenda and took up a number of point orders which were left out during Friday's session. The House met after a break of two days. Too many point of orders simply shows that the government agenda was totally different from the real issues, complained PML-N also in the National Assembly that consumed whole day sitting except question hour on Monday on taking point of orders.
Waseem Sajjad also pointed out Pakistan Mission as well as foreign office non-sensitivity towards 38 Pakistan languishing in Sana who he said even don't know on what charges they have been held. Whatever the case may be, Sajjad said it is the duty of Pakistan missions to protect its citizens and lend them full legal help in trouble.
Sajjad was so disappointed over pathetic attitude of the foreign office that he had to ask the Chairman Senate, Muhamadmian Soomro for using his personal relations with the Yemni government for release of these prisoners." I will certainly take up the issue personally but he also wanted foreign office to pursue
Both the House also called upon the Prime Minister to postpone his itinerary to Davos for two different reasons. PML-Q Senator Seemi wanted him to put off his visit because she does not know what Gilani got to offer the foreign investors in Pakistan as the local industry was closing down because of energy crisis. Pakistan Muslim League-N wanted the Prime Minister to go to Swat instead of going to Davos. Senator Babar Awan said such visits should be taken as an opportunity to avoid isolation and Prime Minister was going to Davos on a commercial flight and other members of delegation, like President Zardari visit to Saudi Arabia, would be going to Davos on their won expenses.
The leader of the House Raza Rabbani said that 32 and not 80 US drone attacks, in response to Professor Khurshid point order, hit Pakistani territory since his government took over. His clarification of figures sparked laughter in the press gallery.
Professor Khurshid Ahmed wanted to know on what grounds Prime Minister had repeatedly claimed that drone attacks would stop after Obama takes over. As instead of cessation, the Obama administration first gift to Pakistan was a drone attack that had killed over 22 people. This he said suggests no change in the US policy towards Pakistan.
The rhetoric, speeches and promises have been the hallmark of this government which have fed up its coalition partners even who wanted them to be replaced with actions.
MQM Senator Tahir Mashidi said the power was not available in Karachi but the consumers are forced to pay excessive bills. Haji Adeel and Kamran Murtaza wondered how the government could claim of treating equally all the federating units when they don't have even their representative in Planning Commission taking decisions on development projects of all the provinces.