Nisar triggers a brawl in the House

Someone from the backbenches shouted an insulting remark and that provoked absolute chaos.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is a powerful speaker and he punctuates his speeches with pertinent data. And when it comes to dealing with the PPP and particularly its leadership, he becomes a one-man demolishing squad. But not once in his parliamentary career has he ever attempted to disrupt the proceedings leading to absolute anarchy. Thursday was different. He triggered an unprecedented bedlam in the house and it was clearly premeditated. It could have led to vicious fist-fight amongst youthful members of the PML-N and the MQM.

I am not able to fathom as to why he acted so differently.

In the middle of a tediously routine proceeding, he asked for the microphone. His opening remarks suggested as if he just wanted to express his party’s ire over inclusion of a bill in the day’s agenda for appropriate presentation. Being the opposition leader he wanted to put it on record that the PML-N had serious reservations over the proposed bill.

Through an act of parliament, the proposed bill aimed at providing legal cover to building of new houses by the Defense Housing Authority (DHA) in areas that fall in vaguely demarcated no man’s land between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Nisar charged that the DHA, through this scheme, wanted to ‘grab’ huge tracts of land owned by the Punjab government.

The DHA is believed to have acquired the services of a renowned real estate tycoon. Nisar didn’t name the said tycoon, but kept calling him a “don of the biggest Qabza group in this country.” The unnamed Don, he went on, was also known for his friendship with President Asif Ali Zardari.

While on the subject Nisar conveniently forgot that only a few days ago his friend, Shahbaz Sharif, had publicly eulogized the “services” of the same tycoon for helping the provincial government in building cheap houses doled out to low-income groups. He also disregarded rumours that the son of the same ‘don’ was a partner in a business venture with Hamza Shahbaz. Politicians are known for exercising selective memory; however, what was more important was Nisar’s threat that his party would “physically block the tabling of the proposed bill.” Even if the assembly passed the said bill, the PML-N would go to courts to prevent its execution, he added.

After spending many years in parliamentary reporting, I genuinely believe that the opposition leader had delivered a forcefully lethal speech on a substantive issue. Yet, without any prior warning he suddenly turned his guns against the MQM provoking the Muttahida members to jump in their seats.

With contempt he recalled attempts by some MQM members to scandalise the Punjab government on Monday by mentioning the arrest of a lady claiming to be lawful wife of Hamza Sharif. Aggressively referring to the same, Nisar recalled another lady while only mentioning her surname – Gabol. He didn’t end there and went on to express solidarity with Dr Fehmida Mirza, who he said had gracefully swallowed stinging remarks passed on the person of her husband, Dr Mirza, by some MQM members a few days ago. The MQM could swallow this passionate defence no more. Someone from its backbenches shouted an insulting remark and that provoked absolute chaos and scenes you mostly see in dangerous streets of downtown areas.

Eventually calm prevailed after desperate efforts made by saner elements. For how long, though? It was obvious that Nisar and his colleagues are adamantly determined to create divisions within the ruling party and the coalition government, while drawing on very sensitive emotional issues.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2011.

Correction: An earlier version of this post carried the incorrect spelling of microphone. The error is regretted.