Unbecoming conduct

Now, more than ever, the country’s political parties need to stand together and put aside their petty differences.

It is not a pleasant sight to see a session of parliament being conducted on the street, as happened in Islamabad on November 6 as opposition parties, barring the MQM, protested what they said had been an inaccurate presentation of figures on terrorism by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Chaudhry Nisar’s insistence that the data was accurate has obviously aggravated matters, especially since most sensible observers would agree the numbers given for deaths as a result of terrorism this year seem absurdly low. As the opposition has pointed out, this has also been accepted by the foreign and defence ministries. The anger of the opposition parties is, therefore, not hard to understand.



But even given this, they would do well to express their frustrations in a more dignified manner. The refusal to enter parliament and the delivery of speeches on the streets appears, on the whole, to be a rather childish act. And this behaviour continued for a second day on November 7, with an informal session of the Senate being held outside the house of parliament. Such behaviour is not worthy of those elected to represent the people of Pakistan. This is all the more true at a time when the country is locked in a state of crisis. Given this, now, more than ever, its political parties need to stand together and put aside their petty differences. Playing to the cameras and to the public on the roads is not a constructive act. We need to see a demonstration of greater maturity and fewer tantrums.

Chaudhry Nisar, whose unfortunate actions created this unnecessary furore in the first place, perhaps needs to take the first step to end this deadlock. He must, as a senior member of the ruling set-up, keep in mind the fact that in politics, there can be no place for arrogance or haughtiness. Indeed, the opposite traits need to be demonstrated, so that the working of parliament can resume in a proper fashion. All politicians need to remember that national interests need to be put ahead of anything else, and that especially at a time like this, nothing should stand in the way of this principle, so that people receive what they need from leaders who must not resort to theatrics.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2013.

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