1st NA session: Conspicuous by their absence

Imran Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamshed Dasti, and Shah Mehmood Qureshi did not attend session.

ISLAMABAD:

Circumstances prevented some lawmakers from attending the first National Assembly session, while choice kept others from reaching the lower house of Parliament on Saturday morning. At least three, however, wouldn’t even let being incarcerated keep them away.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, his party’s senior leader, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl Maulana Fazlur Rehman were not in the national assembly for the oath-taking ceremony. Imran is still recuperating from the injuries he sustained at the Lahore rally days before the May 11 elections. Qureshi was occupied with re-polling in NA-230, while Fazl, who was present in Islamabad, stayed away for unknown reasons.

Independent candidate from Muzaffargarh district Jamshed Ahmed Dasti skipped the session as well.  So did Pakistan Peoples Party’s Shagufta Jumani, who was elected on the reserved seat in the outgoing assembly, and Roshan Din Junejo, who won the seat from NA-236 Sanghar.



Grand reunion

Upon entering the House, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed of the Awami Muslim League darted off to meet the National Assembly staff, who embraced him with enthusiasm and smiles on their faces.

Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali from the PML-N was another member who rushed to meet the NA secretariat staff before oath-taking.



Former premier Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, former religious affairs minister Ijazul Haq, Pashtuwnkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, PML-N leader Danyal Aziz and former Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed were seen reuniting in the assembly after years.

Chatter was heard all around as lawmakers caught up with each other, and as the 190 new faces made their introductions to the veterans of the lower house.

No bars can hold me

Three new MNAs reached the Parliament to take oath despite being imprisoned.

PPP’s winning candidate from the NA-248 constituency of Lyari, Shahjahan Baloch, was released from Karachi Central Jail on protective bail to take oath.

Similarly, PPP’s Hamid Saeed Kazmi and PML-N’s Anjum Aqeel Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were present on protective bail.

Interesting firsts

For the first time ever, outgoing Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza not only administered an oath to the new MNAs, but also swore herself in as an MNA in the new assembly.

Meanwhile, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of the PML-N was the only politician who became a member of the 7th National Assembly, and has never been out of the Parliament during any tenure since.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.