Claims of special perks provided to parliamentarians violate all Islamic principles as well as the Constitution
LAHORE: This is with reference to the news about members of parliament (MPs) pouncing on Mehmood Achackzai because he was unaware about the change to rules that made naat recitation compulsory in the National Assembly, following the recitation of religious verses prior to the commencement of every session. The focus of MPs should actually be somewhere else. Claims of special perks and privileges provided to elected parliamentarians and public officeholders violate all Islamic principles as well as the Constitution, which clearly states that all citizens are equal before the law. It would be far better if all MPs start attending the National Assembly sessions regularly and take part in its proceedings to justify their daily allowances because almost every other day, there is the problem of a lack of quorum in the assembly.
Recitation of naats is fine, but besides mere visual effects, our parliamentarians, ministers and the prime minister need to focus on adhering to the Constitution first, for which they took oath and which they have pledged to uphold by paying all taxes, raising their voices to highlight abuses of power by paid and elected public officeholders, ensure accountability and punishments for all criminals violating rules, and ensure that laws enacted by parliament are followed and implemented. Our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) set very noble examples, which were followed by his companions and which, if followed by those at the helm of affairs in our country, would ensure good governance and rule of law. The religious grounds on which this nation was built stressed equality of all before the law. Can any parliamentarian quote even one example where any of the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) followers who assumed the role of caliph, led luxurious lifestyles at public expense or claimed immunity from the law, or held assets in foreign countries, where their families lived? Mere recitation of naats will not serve the purpose of improving the proceedings of parliament, nor give it an Islamic makeover, unless parliamentarians start leading by example.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2016.
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