Dubbing military take-over as the most 'uncivilised' act, the opposition in the National Assembly on Monday unleashed verbal attack on President Musharraf for not fulfilling the constitutional obligation to address both Houses of the Parliament assembled together.
The attack came less than an hour before the House was prorogued on completion of its third parliamentary year after meeting for minimum 130 days.
Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain reserved his ruling and stopped other members from the opposition to speak on the issue.
Article 56, Clause (3) of the Constitution says that at the commencement of each year, President shall address both Houses assembled together and inform the Parliament of the causes of its summoning, pointed out PPPP's Syed Naveed Qamar.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal President Qazi Hussain Ahmed, on a point of order, asked the treasury members to join the struggle for restoration of democracy and the supremacy of the Constitution.
"Unless and until, the possibility of martial law is eliminated, I don't think, the Parliament or its members will ever have any place in the scheme of things," he contended.
Last year, President Musharraf had addressed the Parliament on January 17 amid the opposition's shouts of 'down with military rule and go Musharraf go'. This year, he decided not to do so, saying first the lawmakers should learn to behave.
The MMA chief, addressing the treasury members, who sat muted and somewhat astonished, said," it is your duty to rise above differences and work against dictatorship, no forward bloc will work". However, no one from the ruling coalition rose to respond to him except Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi.
Qazi described the military take-over as the most 'uncivilised act', in response to President Musharraf's reported statement that he would not come to the 'uncivilised House.'
"What can be a more uncivilised than packing up of an elected Parliament by the military," he contended.
Earlier, on a point of order, the MMA chief wanted to know the reasons as to why President Musharraf did not fulfil the constitutional obligation. "It is the duty of the House to force Musharraf to comply with the Constitution," he asserted.
Qazi pointed out that a committee had been formed to monitor the usage of Rs 10 million collected by the National Assembly for relief work while there was no check and balance on billions of rupees collected under the tag of President Fund and the aid pouring in from abroad.
The MMA leader reiterated his demand that the House should evolve a mechanism to oversee the massive rehabilitation operation.
"Under whose authority, generals have been appointed vis-à-vis relief and rehabilitation works. They have been given the task because they will not be answerable to anyone," he said.
Sher Afgan reminded the MMA of their support on the passage of the 17th amendment and why they did not think over it at that time.
He questioned the rationale behind levelling allegations against anyone, saying there will be no presidential address until the members uphold parliamentary traditions and observe decorum.
"Let them hoot.. this will not work," he reacted in response to some opposition members' chants of shame and no, no.
The minister asserted that the so-called champions of democracy should first learn to behave in a democratic manner. He challenged the opposition to table a privilege motion against him if they desired so.
PPPP's Naveed Qamar, referring to the Constitution, said that the matter is not subject to behaviour of members. This is obligatory and must be done, he added.
"However, this constitutional requirement is deliberately not being met. It is aimed at demonstrating that they have no regard for the Constitution and this I tell you is a dangerous trend Mr Speaker," he said.
The PPPP member cautioned that such trend could have serious repercussions for the Federation, adding," we must not take such things lightly".
Naveed Qamar asked Niazi not to misinterpret the Constitution.