For the greater good

The PML-N has made a magnanimous gesture by not contesting the post of Senate chairman

It is always a welcome development, especially in our political context, to see parties acting for the greater good of the country. This has happened with the ruling party declaring on March 10 that it would be voting for the PPP’s Raza Rabbani for the post of Senate chairperson when voting takes place on March 12. Yes, the development may have come after it was clear that the PML-N could not muster the required strength needed to win the vote in the 104-member Senate. Voting for 52 members of the Upper House took place a few days ago. The results have produced 27 members for the PPP, one more than the number of senators with the PML-N. PPP Co- Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was able to garner support of key opposition parties, including the MQM, the ANP, the PML-Q and factions of the BNP in a bid to win the slot of the Senate chairperson for the PPP. His efforts took the number of PPP supporters in the Upper House to 53.

However, even so, the PML-N has made a magnanimous gesture by not contesting the post. The show of unity will go down well and prevent further divisions emerging in the country. It will also halt the process of horse-trading and corruption that many had feared we may see as a new round of polling for the leader of the House began. There have already been allegations of such buying of votes in the balloting for Senate seats. In such a climate, the decision by the PML-N is one that we should welcome. We hope, too, that this will mark the advent of greater maturity in the Senate, which must play a key role in maintaining the balance of power in parliament. The PML-N’s sensible move has made it more possible for this to happen. Perhaps, the gesture will bring political parties closer together and demonstrate why they must work in cohesion for the multiple crises facing the country to be resolved and for us to move forward step in step rather than in a state of discord.

Published in The Express Tribune, March  11^th,  2015.

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