Friends, not foes?

The unexpected show of unity on the floor of the house suprises many who had seen the PPP-PML-N partnership as over.

The joining of hands by the PPP and the PML-N, who vowed to ward off conspiracies or attempts to undermine the sovereignty of the house on September 22, is a welcome development. We are unaccustomed to politicians working together to safeguard the national interest. But they have opted to do so at a time when there is much conjecture about the future and what it will bring signalling a new maturity and a new realisation of what our nation needs. The remarks made by the prime minister in parliament, backed by opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali, seemed to hit a number of nails right on the head.  The reminder that judicial decisions need to be respected within the framework of the Constitution is an important one. So are the references to the study by an NGO showing a huge increase in the assets of parliamentarians over the last six years. From both the government and opposition benches, flaws in the methodology used were pointed out and these are to be conveyed to the NGO, the Pakistan Institute for Legislative Development and Transparency.

The unexpected show of unity on the floor of the house will surprise many who had seen the PPP-PML-N partnership as over. The pointing towards a conspiracy carried forward by sections of the media may also embarrass some. But most significant of all is the fact that parliament remains determined to defend itself and to put aside past differences to make sure it can do so. This new, and more principled stance, is welcome. All those who criticise the working of democracy in our country would do well to note it has indeed moved forward over the years and is discovering what the philosophy that underpins it is all about. The show of unity will come as a blow to those promoting conspiracy and could play a crucial part in ensuring the triumph of democratic forces over them. Such a development would be vital to the future of our country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2010.