Egypt turmoil: Hashmi warns of ‘imminent spillover’

PML-N lawmaker says Pakistan’s economy worse than Egypt’s.

ISLAMABAD: PML-N lawmaker Javed Hashmi, in a heated speech in the National Assembly on Thursday, warned against an imminent spillover in Pakistan of rising public anger in Afro-Arab states, if the political leadership failed to control the economic mess.

“Nobody should be under the illusion that democracy can save us. It won’t,” the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz member said in a speech that was followed by desk thumping by fellow lawmakers.

The firebrand leader, who spent over four years in jail during former president Pervez Musharraf’s era, was speaking to the house from the first time after recovering from a brain haemorrhage.

His message for all fellow political leaders was loud and clear: “Don’t try to consume the nation for your interests…learn how to get consumed for them.”

Hashmi appeared to be sensitising the government against what he saw a high likely probability of Egyptian and Tunisian’s quest for a regime change attracting Pakistanis to the streets.

The PML-N member’s warning came days after Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said Pakistan could not go Egypt or Tunisia’s way because its democracy and institutions were in place. “Nobody will think about it (democracy) if people are hungry and poor,” Hashmi said.

He asked parliamentarians to resist their party’s leaderships’ decision if they are not in line with the national interest of the country.

Hashmi said lessons should be learnt from the events that are unfolding in Egypt. He added that Pakistan’s economic condition was even worse than Egypt’s and in the present situation it is not advisable to turn a blind eye to it. “It would be wrong to view the case of dissolution of the Egyptian parliament in isolation, because regimes across the world are no longer safe,” he said.

Karachi Cantonments

Earlier, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar informed the house that there was no plan under consideration to extend the limits of Manora Cantonment Board Karachi, and the issue will be resolved in consultation with concerned parliamentarians.

Replying to a call attention notice raised by some Pakistan Peoples party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPs regarding establishment of Masroor Cantonment Board and extension in the limits of Manora Cantonment Board Karachi, he said a Senate body had asked to include the area in the limit of the cantonment to ensure cleanliness and help.

Published in The Express Tribune February 4^th,  2011.