Makhdoom Javed Hashmi received a glowing tribute from the parliamentarians on Thursday when he walked out of the House along with his daughter, Memona Hashmi, after submitting his resignation at the conclusion of his speech against the system and the way the heads of political parties have been running the affairs of their parties.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was clearly divided with some members paid tribute to the Hashmi by thumbing desk along while those closely affiliated to the Chaudhary Nisar did not show big heart and generosity. However, the people from media as well as parliamentarians of various political parties surrounded Hashmi and his daughter in the corridor of the Parliament and expressed great words for them when they came out from the House. Israr Shah of Pakistan People's Party, who have lost his legs in movement for restoration of judiciary in a blast, was on forefront among all to express solidarity with Hashmi followed by a media person, who had great sympathy for PML-N, was heard in saying with grim face 'Bara Dukh Hoa' (I was greatly hurt) as both of them bade Hashmi farewell at the gate.
The resignation of Hashmi was anyhow expected by everyone but the anxious media persons kept on guessing about his speech during the question hour session and watched with great curiosity the people paying visit one after another to Hashmi at opposition benches.
Finally, the question hour was over and presiding officer, Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Faisal Karim Kundi handed over the floor to Hashmi. As Hashmi stood up at his seat to speak, the entire focus of his speech was on the political parties of the country and he held them responsible for weakening the Parliament. The terrible frustration of the common man was reflected from his speech and the way the political parties have only been making fuss in the Parliament about common man's issues to play with galleries and becoming cheek and jowl as soon as they are away from the eye of camera. What Hashmi spoke was not something new that the people had not known but was confirmed by him civilian dictatorship in the political parties by the party heads who wanted elected representative to swear and prefer allegiance to them instead of being accountable to their voters.
This attitude, Hashmi called have to be changed so that the people instead of being dependent on their leaders rely on the system for service delivery. On the hope to bring about such a system in the country, Hashmi said he preferred to quit his party to join Tehrik-e-Insaaf of Imran Khan and promised to abandon him if he fails to change the system for the betterment of the people.
Exposing prevalent dichotomy in the words and actions of political parties, he said that he was brutally tortured by none other than his political leader and the first elected Prime Minister Zulifqar Ali Bhutto during his six years tenure and had seen politicians from 1985 onwards contributing to weaken their own assemblies by playing in the hands of other forces.
The politicians are responsible for inserting 58 (2) B in the Constitution for empowering military dictator to dissolve the elected assembly and allowing agencies to form Islami Jumori Ittehad (IJI) and distribute tickets among the politicians in 1990 elections. Without criticising any political party or politician, he held entire political janta, at one time or the other, responsible for weakening the parliament as was privy to all these events from 1985 onwards. Politicians have never bothered to listen to their own voters, ignored all advices of the oppositions after getting power and their total focus has always been on strengthening their own rule.
The political parties in power and their top leadership has always forgotten that the people have not elected them for corruption, misgovernance in total disregard to their manifesto as was being alleged to the incumbent ruling party. Hashmi spoke a voice of common man when he said that the people have become terribly frustrated from the present system and wanted to change the system which is a reflection of total disconnect between the ruling elite and common man.
He said that country was depicting absolutely deserted look with people protesting for basic amenities of life and does not consider elected people from among themselves but aliens living luxurious life. Hashmi urged the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to convene the meeting of all the political parties to evolve a consensus strategy to save the country and not system before it becomes too late and more people resigns from the Parliament and revealed that 47 members of the House are ready to resign from the National Assembly.
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