FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

04 Sep, 2008

It was almost the entire Senate revolted against leader of the opposition Kamil Ali Agha on Wednesday. He was left almost alone and even the lawmakers from his "so called" political party-the PML (Q)- were least bothered when he boycotted the session. He was protesting against the Prime Minister's maiden address in the Senate.
Agha was furious over Gilani's address. Nothing was wrong with him when he identified some matters which were important for the common man, but they remained untouched in the premier's speech. He was right because it was a general perception that PM failed to make any mark after he gave policy statement in the Senate on Tuesday.
But Agha's loss of temper was not primarily result of Gilani's address. The opposition always feels fine to pin point the shortcomings of the government. Prime Minister speech provided that opportunity to the opposition and Agha and his party could have exploited that in a far better way. But it was Agha irrational attitude due to which the party lost the opportunity. There were some other fears in the mind of Agha. He appeared to be preoccupied with a fear of PML (Q) possible political extinction. He did not directly express this fear. But when he directly attacked the acting chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Jamali when the latter was presiding over the session, it was clear that Agha was seriously disturbed for the sake of his party.
Jan Jamali is currently leading a group of senators which has been in contact with different functionaries of the government including the Prime Minister. It has been widely reported that Jan Jamali group is supporting the PPP presidential candidate. Some circles are of the view that PML (Q) was contacted by the PML (N) and the PPP after the Election Commission announced the schedule of presidential election.
The two mainstream parties were on the record to have stated that PML (Q) is grouping of opportunists and that they (the PPP and the PML (N)) will never contact the Q league. But the presidential election did increase the importance of the party, generally known as king's party. The party leadership thinks that different groups especially the one purportedly led by Jan Jamali is undermining the party's standing. The party is keen to prove its worth by fielding its candidate. The party wants to prove its identity that is first test after its mentor Musharraf resigned last month in the face of an imminent impeachment.
From Wednesday proceedings of the Senate, it was proved that how much stronger is the PML (Q) to stand united amid tug of war between the PML (N) and the PPP. There could be various incentives for the lawmakers who join hands with the PPP. The Prime Minister has already announced that funds would be equally distributed among the members of parliament (MPs) belonging either to the opposition or treasury benches. The 50 person job quota has also been announced for each MP. The PML (Q) was formed at a time when Musharraf was giving different incentives. This is again a period of incentives. But this time the incentives are supposed for the PML (Q)'s disintegration.
All the political parties present in the senate condemned Agha's remarks. The PPP, the PML (N), the MQM, APDM and MMA senators were unanimous in their approach that democracy would not be derailed and the armed forces would not be allowed to intervene in the country's political affairs. It was interesting that some the PML (Q) senators were also part of pro-democracy sloganeering. APDM senator demanded that slot of leader of the opposition lost must be given to the APDM as the Kamil Agha lost the confidence of majority of the opposition members.
Leader of the house Mian Raza Rabbani said that the party flourished under the umbrella of martial law has no right to criticise the democratic set up. He said that the PPP and the PML (N) would continue to pursue the Charter of Democracy (COD) signed by PPP leader Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto and PML (N) chief Nawaz Sharif.
The PML (N) senator Ishaq Dar was not different when he expressed his viewpoint on the floor of the house. Of course, the political forces have achieved something unprecedented after their "almost joint" struggle against Musharraf for the last over eight years. But the assertions made by the senators suggested that they are satisfied with restoration of democracy and that they have achieved their goal. The democracy will have to deliver to the people who voted for it.
The goal is too far away and the democratic will go a long and dusty road to achieve its cherished goal. Today, the people are facing shortage of wheat flour. They are facing skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. The government is saying that it will ensure its writ in FATA and some areas of NWFP. Good thing to be done by the government.
The advisor on Interior is implementing the state writ in FATA and in Swat. But its writ is being challenged across the country in the shape of unbearable price hike. It is the turn of the government economic managers to ensure the state writ by bringing down the prices of essential food items in each and every city, town and villages of the country. Only then, the people who voted for democracy will definitely think they had voted for real democracy.

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