FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

This was extremely surprising for many that the coalition partner Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and Jumiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), who complaining of being treated unfriendly by the government, did not say a word against it on the opening day of the National Assembly. Is this suggests that they have not yet decided to abandon the ruling alliance?
The opposition leader Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, however, in a pre-emptive move warned the government of grave consequences against secretive attempt to move controversial GST Bill in the National Assembly for approval. Being an astute politician, Nisar wanted to block any move by the government for tabling draft GST law by keeping the opponent in darkness in any session, when it has majority. Before calling for reconvening the meeting of House Advisory Committee, Nisar thought it appropriate to give justification of his party for not attending it from the last two sessions.
This was largely in protest against the government for violation of decisions taken by the meeting presided over by the Speaker National Assembly and attended by representative of all the political parties prior to every session to finalise the agenda including the bills for the session. Without mincing words, Nisar assailed the government for unscrupulously undermining the decisions of the committee by introducing and passing the bills in the darkness of the night.
The examples, he cited, was the introduction of GST Bill just minutes before the prorogation of the last session, not allowing the members to speak on it. Though the RGST would remain a dead horse as long as the government does not garner required numbers, a member in the corridor of the Parliament quipped, the demand by the opposition leader to reconvene the House Advisory Committee was because his party wanted to be vigilant and in know about the government intentions with respect to legislation for the current session.
Though, presently the government did not have the majority in the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Finance to get cleared the bill and passing it from the National Assembly is at arm distance. The opponents of today can be in hand tomorrow and that is what apparently concerning the opposition leader who wanted to be at least in picture about the next move of the government. Every knows, the government has the tendency to bulldoze the bill and why it would not do so in the case of this important bill that could secure it remaining two instalments of the International Monetary Fund.
Obviously, Nisar is more aware than anybody else of the government's desperate attempts and offers to the displeased coalition partners as well Pakistan Muslim League (Q) leadership to garner their support on RGST. The reflection of this wooing was also available in the Parliament when no one from the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and Jumiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) was seen even negligently making any remarks about what has happened to them. Analysts say this clearly shows that they have not yet taken the final decision to quit the alliance and may use this occasion as opportunity for more gains from the government.
Nisar also lashed out at US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter for his statement about passage of GST bill from the Parliament and strongly disproved the remarks considering them as tantamount of interfering in the internal matters of Pakistan.
The future of the RGST would be decided by the Parliament of Pakistan and not by the US or any other country. Nisar also came hard on statements made by military high up of the US that their country was running out of patience and expressed his dismay over Prime Minister and President for not taking notice of threatening statements coming out from the US. Nisar briefly touched upon the issue of Hajj scandal and spoke in length about the tendency of the government to introduce and pass the legislation by bulldozing the House.