View from the Gallery
It was a traditional yet carefully worded speech of a ceremonial head of the state in a parliamentary form of government that avoided controversy. And focused more on highlighting achievements, cautiously nudging the rulers to pay attention to neglected areas of the economy in general. No mention of any failures of governance, and pitfalls, in particular. At the same time, surprising the Opposition by reminding it indirectly to play by the book. President Mamnoon Hussain addressed the Parliament in tenor of a wise man, a discourse perceived by opposition benches as overly pampering the treasury. It was his consecutive third address in a row since election to the office in September 2013. Till date, he remains a lucky one for not facing a full-throttle opposition agitation on such once-a-year occasions (constitutional requirement). Though, opposition, especially PTI, cautioned him of tough days ahead as they registered their discontent on Panama Papers through low-key, intermittent yet noisy remarks in the last part of his hour long speech.
Ex-president General ® Pervez Musharraf and late Ghulam Ishaq Khan had to bear the nastiest of agitation in the same hall by Opposition of those times. With no real powers at hand, especially in absence of infamous 58 (2) B that had sent premiers and assemblies packing, President Mamnoon enjoys an easy ride by default. On this day too, he had an open and conducive environment to speak his mind. And touched every issue of national importance – from economy to security, and then foreign affairs. He expressed pleasure and satisfaction on continuity and strengthening of democratic order linking it directly to economic progress; eulogised Pakistani military’s achievement and sacrifices in operation Zarb-e-Azb; rejected undue criticism on Pak-China Economic Corridor (CPEC); and went on to express disquiet over stalemate in talks with India despite Pakistan’s positive moves on Pathankot investigations.
The big slip of the lengthy presidential sermon was, however, the Panama Papers related political storm that has engulfed our polity for almost two months now. It was not music to the ears of the Opposition legislators, especially the compulsory agitators in PTI ranks. Some of them made noises, others used pointed remarks to remind the president that he has missed out on the burning issue of “Panama Papers.” And that too, when he had used the early part of his speech indirectly reminding Opposition of the day to follow the principles, ethics and morality.
One could clearly hear Dr Shireen Mazari, Hamid-ul- Haq etc and many backbenchers as they directly registered their discontent to President Mamnoon during the last part of his speech. PPP legislators led by two Opposition leaders of Senate and National Assembly, sat quietly, attentively. They, however, enjoyed overtures of their colleagues. Press gallery apart, the real focus of the guarded agitation by some Opposition legislators seemed the gallery where Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was sitting along with services chiefs.
Many of them occasionally gazed the same gallery, throughout.
Nearby, a gallery full of foreign diplomats, curiously witnessed the proceedings of the joint sitting which was not a full house in attendance. Many prominent Opposition figures like PTI Chief Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, MQM’s Farooq Sattar, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed didn’t not turn up for the occasion. So did some treasury figures like former premier Mir Zafarullah Jamali. But everyone missed Premier Nawaz Sharif. It was perhaps the first time in the parliamentary history of the country that a prime minister could not make it to the Parliament to witness a presidential address. But prominent ministers, lawmakers of the treasury seemed self-assured, more relaxed after the successful heart surgery of the premier, now recovering in London.
The compulsory agitators in the Opposition ranks are naturally a bit disturbed with the tide of sympathy wrapped around premier’s health issues. The development has political and moral connotations. A strange phenomenon isn’t it. On the face of it, everyone has to put up a humane face, underneath the prominent opposition leaders and legislators are getting jittery about the unexpected happening. At the peak of political blizzard caused by Panama Leaks, they have to bear with calm, dull days. Frustrated, most of them suspect, it is by design that there is no desirable movement. And proceedings of Parliamentary Committee for ToRs on Panama Papers investigations have hit snags.
Footnote: It was a rare occasion when prominent treasury and opposition figures interacted with the military leadership at the Parliament House on the sidelines of presidential address. One could see figures like Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Aftab Sherpao and rest enthusiastically shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries, with General Raheel Sharif during a hi-tea by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. But why did Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid missed out such an occasion, even when the premier was away. Some would say they didn’t want to attach importance to a president’s address, a ceremonial head of the state who wields no real; powers. Some say Imran is not a regular visitor of the Assembly anyway. But others think the ace of the Opposition bandwagon is frustrated by the silence of the powers that be in the aftermath of Panama Leaks. And that too at a time when some of them reassure their second and third tier that the much needed intervention is about to come, the state institutions play by the book (of Constitution). It seems business as usual despite unlimited, impatient wishes of interest groups to rock the boat. A fair, judicious resolution of Panama Papers controversy through an acceptable-for-all judicial commission seems the only viable option despite political wrangling and conspiracies engulfing the whole issue.
