A docile opposition fails to impress
Something is certainly wrong somewhere within the PML-N these days.
Something is certainly wrong somewhere within the PML-N these days one is forced to state, after failing to notice any heat or energy on its benches in the national assembly on Saturday.
After the first reading of budgetary proposals the process enters a critical stage. Every government, even those with comfortable majorities, dread this stage, as the opposition members get ample opportunities during this phase to filibuster by indulging in lengthy talkathons on cut motions. The dreary process tires the treasury. Most of its members lower their guard and at times leave the house for a cup of tea or something, and a watchful opposition exploits such moments to embarrass the government by suddenly demanding a head count on a cut motion under discussion.
With 90-plus members, the PML-N has the capacity to keep the government on its toes by springing surprises. But its members seemed just not interested in the proceedings on Saturday. As reported in these columns, the honey-tongued Syed from Sukkur, Khurshid Shah had been launched by the Prime Minister some ten days ago to approach the PML-N leaders to solicit their cooperation. After holding a series of late night meetings, he appears to have succeeded in persuading the opposition to discuss the performance of only six ministries, by putting cut motions against financial demands made by them.
Initially, the PML-N members acted hard to get. Eventually, the PM’s office conveyed to them in unambiguous terms that the PML-N’s ‘non-friendly conduct’ would force Gilani to review his liberal allocation policy of ‘development-related funds’ to constituencies represented by the opposition. The threat seems to have worked. Some ‘action’, however, is promised for Monday, when some lead stars of the PML-N are expected to deliver fiery speeches while resisting the passage of demands made by the ministries of defence and foreign affairs.
Ironic it may sound, but it was not the opposition but a group of 30 unhappy treasury members which had almost forced the government to review some of its budgetary proposals. They had ganged up to oppose withdrawal of sales tax exemptions on agricultural inputs. The PM and the persons he deputed to resolve the issue could not pacify the group. Eventually, President Zardari met former food and agriculture minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal. After listening to a long lecture on ‘global economics and its intrinsic links to Pakistan,’ Gondal spent a sleepless night on Friday to convey the president’s mood to his unhappy colleagues. No wonder, we did not hear any dissenting voices from the government benches on Saturday.
Talking of President Zardari’s political management, after listening to a trustworthy source from Aiwan-e-Sadr, let me also report, that ‘the man on the hill’ was feeling very hurt with the way the Chief Justice was brought on the scene relating to the issue of establishing an independent commission to probe the gruesome murder of Syed Salim Shehzad. Not only was he upset about the murder, President Zardari also feared that Nawaz Sharif might exploit the issue by launching a populist movement against national security agencies. “We must prevent the possibility of such a movement by agreeing to establish an independent commission to probe the killing,” he repeatedly told the government. That led to the announcement of the formation of a commission to be headed by the Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court. But journalists did not accept the commission and insisted that a serving judge of the Supreme Court lead the investigation. Finally, they decided to stage a dharna outside the parliament.
During his visit to Kazakhstan early this week, President Zardari kept himself updated on related developments. He approved the active participation of PPP MNAs Sherry Rehman, Farahnaz Isphahani and Nadeem Afzal Chann in the dharna. On the conclusion of official engagements in Kazkhstan, Zardari returned to his room and watched repeats of various talk shows on Pakistani channels. Finally, after watching a particular show he called the PM at 2 am PST on Wednesday night and asked him to concede to the journalists’ demands. Gilani obliged, but before things could be smoothed out, the Supreme Court was inducted into the fray through a petition filed by human rights activist Asma Jehangir on behalf of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists. “Zardari feels hurt for not getting credit for announcing the commission,” insists my source.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2011.
After the first reading of budgetary proposals the process enters a critical stage. Every government, even those with comfortable majorities, dread this stage, as the opposition members get ample opportunities during this phase to filibuster by indulging in lengthy talkathons on cut motions. The dreary process tires the treasury. Most of its members lower their guard and at times leave the house for a cup of tea or something, and a watchful opposition exploits such moments to embarrass the government by suddenly demanding a head count on a cut motion under discussion.
With 90-plus members, the PML-N has the capacity to keep the government on its toes by springing surprises. But its members seemed just not interested in the proceedings on Saturday. As reported in these columns, the honey-tongued Syed from Sukkur, Khurshid Shah had been launched by the Prime Minister some ten days ago to approach the PML-N leaders to solicit their cooperation. After holding a series of late night meetings, he appears to have succeeded in persuading the opposition to discuss the performance of only six ministries, by putting cut motions against financial demands made by them.
Initially, the PML-N members acted hard to get. Eventually, the PM’s office conveyed to them in unambiguous terms that the PML-N’s ‘non-friendly conduct’ would force Gilani to review his liberal allocation policy of ‘development-related funds’ to constituencies represented by the opposition. The threat seems to have worked. Some ‘action’, however, is promised for Monday, when some lead stars of the PML-N are expected to deliver fiery speeches while resisting the passage of demands made by the ministries of defence and foreign affairs.
Ironic it may sound, but it was not the opposition but a group of 30 unhappy treasury members which had almost forced the government to review some of its budgetary proposals. They had ganged up to oppose withdrawal of sales tax exemptions on agricultural inputs. The PM and the persons he deputed to resolve the issue could not pacify the group. Eventually, President Zardari met former food and agriculture minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal. After listening to a long lecture on ‘global economics and its intrinsic links to Pakistan,’ Gondal spent a sleepless night on Friday to convey the president’s mood to his unhappy colleagues. No wonder, we did not hear any dissenting voices from the government benches on Saturday.
Talking of President Zardari’s political management, after listening to a trustworthy source from Aiwan-e-Sadr, let me also report, that ‘the man on the hill’ was feeling very hurt with the way the Chief Justice was brought on the scene relating to the issue of establishing an independent commission to probe the gruesome murder of Syed Salim Shehzad. Not only was he upset about the murder, President Zardari also feared that Nawaz Sharif might exploit the issue by launching a populist movement against national security agencies. “We must prevent the possibility of such a movement by agreeing to establish an independent commission to probe the killing,” he repeatedly told the government. That led to the announcement of the formation of a commission to be headed by the Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court. But journalists did not accept the commission and insisted that a serving judge of the Supreme Court lead the investigation. Finally, they decided to stage a dharna outside the parliament.
During his visit to Kazakhstan early this week, President Zardari kept himself updated on related developments. He approved the active participation of PPP MNAs Sherry Rehman, Farahnaz Isphahani and Nadeem Afzal Chann in the dharna. On the conclusion of official engagements in Kazkhstan, Zardari returned to his room and watched repeats of various talk shows on Pakistani channels. Finally, after watching a particular show he called the PM at 2 am PST on Wednesday night and asked him to concede to the journalists’ demands. Gilani obliged, but before things could be smoothed out, the Supreme Court was inducted into the fray through a petition filed by human rights activist Asma Jehangir on behalf of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists. “Zardari feels hurt for not getting credit for announcing the commission,” insists my source.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2011.