FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

While the whole focus was shifted on the Supreme Court that had enough over the government reluctance to implement its decision on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) for one pretext or the other and decided to teach a lesson to the relevant people, the House sitting on Tuesday was lacklustre and simply waste of time.
In fact the sitting of the National Assembly was a depiction of nonchalance attitude of Parliamentarians. This was utterly surprising by the Parliamentarians who have protested just a day before against the remarks of the President Supreme Court Bar Association (PSCBA). The members have sung in a chorus across the political parties, the mantra of supremacy of the Parliament they hardly ever tried to protect and uphold, condemning the remarks of SCBA President that people sitting in the Parliament are cheater and smugglers is insult and attack on the parliament. And by watching the proceedings of today, one could safely assume that their own non-serious attitude is posing a grave threat and not the remarks of anybody against the supremacy of the Parliament. How could you restrain others from making any inappropriate remark when you yourself are not serious in upholding dignity of any institution?
The one who seemed most perturbed on deepening stalemate among the political parties on Constitution Reforms package was Senator Raza Rabbani Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms. Rabbani moved from one seat to another might to broker a deal between Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and also loop in the Prime Minister in his entire drill.
Apart from Rabbani, Sherry Rahman former Information Minister was another member among the sitting lot in the House deeply concerned about the future of nearly two years long exercise for the Constitutional package. She feared that last minute hitch might frustrate the entire spadework. She wanted the legislation to be pushed through as early as possible as this was a rare opportunity after 1973 for all the political parties to win the hearts and minds of the people of small provinces.
The bill will also benefit the big provinces equally, she said wanting the bigger political parties to show largesse at this critical juncture otherwise they would not be shown any mercy by the politician who might have angered some of their estranged leaders by being part of nine months negotiations. Don't miss this historic opportunity, she urged all the political parties not let destroy this important process that involves issues much larger than renaming of NWFP and judges appointment.
This package, she said had some very vital clauses regarding provincial autonomy very critical at this stage to keep the federation intact. Sherry could not hide her fear that stand-off might cost the package forever and if this happened nation would not forgive political forces.
Senator Raza Rabbani held long parleys with Chief of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali Khan and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani before moving on to the seats of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) to look for an alternative if the parties did not budge from their stance. One thing is for sure that nothing so far is to be optimistic about tabling of the package and the on-going session might be adjourned for a bit longer and the House may meet again if things remained calm and stand-off was resolved to take up the 18th Constitutional amendment.
The sitting is expected to adjourn today March 31 to meet again April 5 but federal capital was abuzz with rumours that unfolding events during the last few days have been indicative things are not as smooth as being pretended by ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP). The supreme Court order of arresting and sending the Additional DG FIA Ahmad Riaz Shaikh to Adiala jail might have rang the alarm bells for the government but apparently the ministers and other PPP treasury members succeeded in concealing their panic.