ISLAMABAD: Reverberations of Islamabad bombings and its aftermath continued to echo on Tuesday – but more in the Senate than the National Assembly.
The Assembly may have vented out its anger a day earlier but the Senate, literally, sizzled over it. Its biggest gripe was that it was being ignored. The Senators were already agitated, as the government did not care to even share the internal national security document with them. Who do you think we are, pariahs! clamoured the Senators in unison. And then the government added fuel to the fire by not bothering to explain to the Upper House what had happened at Islamabad’s district courts. Nisar’s answer to the National Assembly on Monday was, at best, confusing. But he completely ignored the Senators who were equally concerned.
The Senate chairman, when prodded by the opposition, had asked Chaudhry Nisar in a ruling on Monday to brief the Upper House on the bombings. But no-bow he shall not, whatever the consequences. Nisar chose to send his junior, Baleeghur Rehman, which was not acceptable to the opposition. The opposition staged a boycott and then got the House adjourned by pointing out quorum.
Technically, the state minister should have been good enough. But it has become a war of egos, not politics. And nobody can match the Rajput chieftain from Chakri when it comes to that. There is a certain history to this.
The PML-N, which does not have a majority in the Senate, is definitely not fond of the Upper House. But it can’t afford to be contemptuous towards the Senate by ignoring it completely. The Upper House represents the federation because it gives parity to smaller provinces against the majoritarianism of the big brother Punjab. It is all the more important for the PML-N to show its respect to the Senate because it represents Punjab and rules Islamabad because of its power base in just one province – Takht Lahore. Nawaz Sharif walks on thin ice as far as the federation is concerned. The last election gave fragmented results where each province voted for separate political parties. This should be a recipe for disaster. The Senate is the glue that keeps that fragmentation together. It should be in the interest of Nawaz Sharif to ensure its adhesiveness, not dilute it, particularly in the polarised politics that we face now.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. The PML-N has chosen to adopt a tug of war with the Senate. Senators sulk that the prime minister has not visited the Upper House even once. Old-timers recall that the last time Nawaz Sharif came to the Senate was 17 years ago. But it is the prime minister’s team, actually just interior minister Chaudhry Nisar who is on a constant warpath against the Senate. One can have a fight with individuals but not with an institution as sensitive and critical as the Senate. But this is how it is.
More history: If we rewind the tape a month earlier those with a memory will recall that the Senate opposition staged mock proceedings in the Parliament lawns. The opposition protested over the alleged “rudeness” of the interior minister and asked for his apology. Nisar refused to that and the show went on until Ishaq Dar and Pervaiz Rasheed intervened to diffuse the crisis. The interior minister has since hired a junior minister to deal with the agitated lot in the Senate and generally avoids the Upper House.
But the terrible bombing in the heart of Islamabad was an issue much bigger than the personal vendettas. The Senate had every right to be furious at being kept out of the loop. Raza Rabbani questioned the legality of having a ceasefire with non-state actors: “How can the State absolve itself of its constitutional duty to protect its citizens.” His argument was that it was unconstitutional for the government to agree on a ceasefire with the Taliban. “Are we keeping the articles in the Constitution, which obligates the State to protect its citizens, in abeyance,” asked the former law minister.
Significantly, the government members and its key allies concurred with the opposition. The PML-N ally in Balochistan, Hasil Bizenjo, also questioned the government position on ceasefire with the Taliban. “How can we give Taliban parity with the State,” he argued. “This amounts to accepting Taliban as an entity and we can’t be party to this.”
There was a hint of warning in his tone. Even more scathing in his criticism was the veteran PML-N Senator. He minced no words in declaring that the government had absolutely failed in providing protection to its citizens. It gives an impression of a weak, lazy and a confused government.
ANP’s Nabi Baksh Bangash demanded that, at least, Islamabad SSP should be suspended. He came to the spot in a pajama ninety minutes after the incident and it was obvious that he was sleeping at home till 11 am. Saifullah Magsi concurred that the police was not equipped with arms or chose not to use them. It was an utter chaos. Afrasiab Khattak saw fault lines existing between the government and the establishment.
The consensus was that Taliban are being smart in diffusing the momentum by offering ceasefire. The government will fall in the trap if it agrees to the Taliban demand. Already, the national consensus developed after the latest killings stands divided. The Taliban will be able to regroup if the operation gets delayed. The biggest grouse was: Nawaz Sharif should at least take Parliament into confidence about what he was thinking. What is the way forward? For a start, politicians definitely need to overcome their egos. Jaan deyo, Chaudhry Sab!
The News
March 5, 2014