FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The National Assembly convened to discuss the floods situation was prorogued sine die here on Saturday without doing any significant business. One wonders as to what was the point of wasting taxpayer money on the three-day meaningless session at the name of flood affectees if the government and opposition had nothing to discuss.
The Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani repeated in the House what he has been saying at various forums during the last one month about the losses to the economy and the government efforts with respect to rescue operation. Nothing new was said either by the opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
In fact initially both the leaders took almost three hours in explaining view points about past event instead of taking each other into confidence about the future course of action with respect to early rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood victims.
This of course was irritating for the parliamentarians of affected areas and eventually they begin protesting in the mike. Opposition who might have heard the voices as he looked back before quickly response that in the middle of his speech that this is discretion of Prime Minister and Opposition leader to take as much time as they wanted and no one object to it.
Some members annoyance was evident when they termed this situation "Shikwa and Jawab-e-Shikwa" between government and treasury. Sensing the situation, presiding officer invited members for debate on floods. Member from affected areas consistently poured out their anger before the House. There was a unanimous call some treasury and opposition members for a judicial probe into the allegations that some influential have breached banks to divert the flood water to protect their lands and crops.
Treasury member Mir Hazar Khan Bajrani and Ghous Bux Mehar of opposition vehemently demanded a judicial probe into the allegations to ascertain the truth. This was evident from the last three days' proceedings that flood victims have neither been priority of the government nor the opposition, at least in the Parliament. And the two major political parties have agreed to convene yet another session after Eid to have a detailed discussion on the floods and surprisingly Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) that was pained by the miseries of flood victims was not upset over the session being ended without devising a strategy.
Would you believe that no one from the worthily parliamentarians bothered to ask the government how it would ensure that no one dies from viral diseases in those areas. The Prime Minister assured the House that his government would not spare any effort for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood victims and announced to convene All Parties Conference (APC). Though he did not give any date for the APC, one can hope that the meeting would be convened earliest in view of the fate of over 20 million people.
The images of the victims being shown in newspapers and television have been very disturbing for the citizen and distorting image of the country abroad. The government needs to take immediate measures to evolve a respectable way for distribution of relief foods.