Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. PHOTO: NNI
One law. That is all what the Parliament of Pakistan had to offer when the 14th National Assembly completed its first parliamentary year, during which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made a mere seven appearances – two per cent of the total time the lower house remained in session.
On the other hand, it has been over a decade and a half that the prime minister has not entered the hall of the Senate. The premier could have availed this opportunity but he, according to some political observers, does not want to be at a place where his own party is in a minority.
The next possible appearance of PM Nawaz in the Senate, despite all the exhortations and demands from the upper house, could be after the 2015 Senate elections in which his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would emerge as a majority party.
Another reason for the delay in legislation seems to be absenteeism – the cause of several protests and unceremonious ends of proceedings. There has not been a single day during the entire parliamentary year when all 342 members were present.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan made 11 appearances in the lower house but he has given a justification: there is no need to be there when the prime minister is absent.Taking the cake were Eng Usman Khan Tarakai of the Awami Jamhore Ittihad Pakistan and the National Party’s Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai who attended the proceedings for only two days in the whole parliamentary year.
According to FAFEN, 298 members were present in the house only once, that too, during the third sitting.
It is perhaps due to this very reason that the government has not bothered to persuade or even tried to convince the opposition to support the passage of the remaining 10 bills passed by the National Assembly that are awaiting the Senate’s approval.
Moreover, the opposition staged walkouts due to absence of government members around three times during the year. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also triggered the opposition to boycott the proceedings three times for what they said were “unparliamentarily remarks.”
“The National Assembly failed to emerge as the forum of substantive debate and effective oversight of the executive,” PILDAT president Ahmed Bilal Mehboob said while talking to The Express Tribune. Commenting on the first parliamentary year, he said, “None of the legislation passed by the National Assembly could become law and are pending in the Senate.”
He said that the prime minister’s rare presence in the house conveyed a negative message about the importance and effectiveness of the house. “While a serious civil-military strain is developing, the lower house or its committees did not weigh in to stem the tide of an emerging crisis of confidence.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.
COMMENTS (13)
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56 resolutions were passed during the first parliamentary year. Please correct it
how many foreign trip?
Though the PM doesn’t not say openly but the proceedings of the Parliament clearly indicate that he is the Amir-ul-Mominin of Pakistan.
and then 'pro-democrats' complain that some institutions do not respect ''Parliament"
one year 2 BWMs
What these folks are paid for, party? They talk after rigging and every other excuse to explain why they were denied a chance to be elected but even when they are elected they have nothing to show? What these politicians who don't perform their duties should be elected in the future?
This system should be abolished and presidential system to be adopted. There is no need for MNAs and MPAs and Senators. President should rule with his chosen cabinet. Local bodies should be elected by people to do the public works. Legislation should be done through Mayors.
Nothing more than a expensive circus.
@fawad: Therein lies the problem. legislatures are not supposed to run around fixing water pipes and clearing garbage. if theyre being forced to do that it is a fault of the civil set up. Local govt is the need of the hour.
...and estimated corruption by them ... ??????
The problems is not in numbers (statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital). The need is to look at the 'content and substance' National Assembly and Senate produce - legislation, debate, resolutions, questions... Moreover it is not surprising that the National Assembly only passed one law during the whole year given the composition of the two houses of the parliament. Moreover a lot of significant legislation has been done by the previous National Assembly and therefore the need is to ensure that it is implemented.
Whereas our neighbor Narendra Modi kisses the steps of Sansad, here the Prime Minister doesn't even bother to attend the proceedings. What an insulting attitude !!!
There is some serious flaw in our system here. MNA's and MPA's are busy doing the job of local government and no one is taking care of legislation. There is a huge vacuum in the most important institution of Pakistan. It practically does not exist.