Early presentation of budget may linger on caretaker government's tenure: Rabbani

Former Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani on Tuesday cautioned that by presenting the next federal budget early, the incumbent government is giving an opportunity to upcoming caretaker setup to prolong its tenure. Taking part in a debate in Senate regarding Constitution Day of Pakistan, he also said that "fractionalization" of political parties is being made to engineer the next general elections by some hidden hands. "We also hear roll back of 18th Constitutional Amendment which will be a very dangerous trend for survival of the federation," he warned.
Talking on the proposed plans of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government to get federal budget 2018-2019 passed earlier from the Parliament ahead of its tenure, that would expire on May 31, he said which hidden hands are forcing the PML-N to present budget earlier. By this way, he said that the government would provide an opportunity to the caretaker setup to prolong its tenure having one year fiscal budget in its hands as passed by the Parliament.
He said that the Constitution provided that the interim government could got approved its budget up to a period of four months from the Parliament at later stage then why budget is being presented in haste. "When budget is passed that is the end of the story for a year," he said, adding why PML-N is allowing this sword to hang on their heads permanently.
Giving reference to the recent change of loyalties of a number of politicians from one party to another, he said that engineered political atmosphere is being created in the county and efforts are being made to create "test-tube babies." He said that fractionalization of political parties is being made which is not in the interest of the federation. He said that some hidden hands are strengthening the regional political party which is tantamount to weaken the federation - a direct reference to the decision of some lawmakers of South Punjab to quit PML-N and form a group with the name of South Punjab Province Front.
The PPP lawmaker deplored that Pakistan is heading towards the clash of various institutions and it can be seen from the fact how Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) "attacked" on the jurisdiction of the Parliament regarding the issue of delimitation of the constituencies. He said that the formation of Committee on Delimitation was within the ambit of the Constitution but the ECP's directions that delimitation is its sole prerogative is not in line with the law and Constitution. He said that ECP brought the internal proceedings of the National Assembly in question, adding if this situation remains intact, Pakistan is heading towards a difficult situation.
Giving another reference to the disqualification of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by Supreme Court, Rabbani said that 'minus one formula' is being implemented in Pakistan. He deplored that the accountability process in Pakistan only remains for political class. "We saw it when a parliamentary committee asked for brining the judiciary, army and politicians under one umbrella of accountability law," he added.
He said that Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement is being dubbed as anti-Pakistan. In the past those people who talked against the philosophy of the governance of state were called as traitors and who demanded their rights became missing, he said. Rabbani said that Constitution Day (April 10) is being celebrated in difficult times as the sanctity of 1973 Constitution that is a consensus document could not be maintained from the very first day.
"Unfortunately, we have experimented thirteen different forms of government contrary to the fact the 1973 Constitution provides for the parliamentary form of government," he said. "These systems included dictatorships, abolition or suspension of Constitution, presidential form of system, government of technocrats, centralization of government, non-party basis elections, and devolution plan of General Pervez Musharraf (retd)," he added.
He said that judiciary in the past gave permission to the military dictators to amend the Constitution, the elections were manipulated and hung parliaments came into being. The only way to get out of the situation is that all institution should work within their ambit and transparent elections should be held in the country, he added. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said that they should learn lesson from the past and keep in mind that sanctity of the vote was not respected in 1971 that led to the division of Pakistan into two parts.
Senator Muzaffar Hussain Shah said that these are the political parties which are creating vacuum for other institutions to encroach upon their jurisdiction. Senator Hasil Bizenjo said that every other institution in Pakistan wants to undermine the Parliament. He opined that political parties should have signed a new charter of democracy that they would not engage in pulling against one another with other institutions. Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar said if the performance of the Parliament will be away from the principles of democracy then only hollow rhetoric would remain.