Zardari can’t drag his feet on military courts issue for long

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As a consensus bill on military courts extension looms large, ruling alliance legislators lose interest in the current sitting of the Lower House of Parliament. And the PPP-PTI led opposition has nothing to lose as they repeatedly test treasury’s nerves, almost daily now. 

Monday’s proceedings after a two days break saw a suspension of proceedings for twenty odd minutes in absence of the required legislators – 86 a must in a House of 340 plus. And ruling alliance still has 200 plus legislators.

Majority of them shying away from turning up, making two three ministers, especially Sheikh Aftab running from lobbies to chambers and then arranging panic calls to all those who could make it in time.

Meanwhile, in absence of Dr Mazari, whenever it happens, some PPP legislators are obliged to point out quorum. And they would continue this practice till a final deal is struck with former president on the military courts issue.

For now, PPP continues to fight on several fronts. Be it governance blues in Sindh (Karachi sanitation bout with MQM is hot these days) etc. Zardari sahib knows well, he won’t be able to drag his feet on the military courts issue for long in the wake of seriousness from the garrison. He just wants to extract the maximum political cum administrative concessions for (some troubled aids naturally). Ever since his recent Islamabad press conference, a vague argument that it would be dangerous to handout such powers to military courts (Dr Asim’s case cited) for a two years term with general elections just 16 months away to the max. But Dr Asim, as we know, is under NAB custody these days, and his case, or such cases, cannot be forwarded to a military court without prior consent of the provincial government. Here Zardari sahib has a point – what if there is no PPP government in Sindh in post 2018 scenario? One should better be cautious, prepared.

As if Zardari sahib’s dragging on military courts extension issue was not enough, Hussain Haqqani, his former appointee as Pakistan’s top envoy to US, came with a recent write up, explaining how he facilitated CIA operations in Pakistan (year 2009-11) with PPP leadership on board.

Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah could only cry foul, going to the extent of declaring a former foreign affairs ace strategist and envoy as “son of the soil” turned “traitor”.

Shazia Marri was not that convinced as she spoke down the order, hinting in a vague way how high profile people change stance when out of prized postings. Nothing particular mentioned as she tried to divert more attention towards non-implementation of National Action Plan. She, however, annoyed deputy speaker when he tried to silence her and the mike went silent, arguing she had consumed enough time. “You promote mob mentality,” she yelled at a high pitch, squarely blaming a volt faced Abbasi who seemed surprised at the sudden onslaught.

PPP benches could only buck her up as she indirectly mentioned the Murad Saeed-Javed Latif bout, angrily lashing out the deputy speaker who at times acts more like a primary class monitor than custodian of the highest legislative body. Javed Latif could only smile sheepishly in the company of another fellow legislator when joined in by Ejazul Haq at the treasury middle rows. Murad was away. So less chance of a surprise verbal bout.

Earlier, Arif Alvi came down hard on Hussain Haqqani taunting former PPP regime for appointing Hussain Haqqani on such sensitive position, and now regretting – at least for media consumption. Pasha factor too strong to ignore for PTI’s mindset on politics or national security.

PML-N’s Khusro Bakhtiar, a former minister of state under Musharraf-Shaukat government, had some good advice to offer. “PPP leadership should apologise for the bad choice they made on Hussain Haqqani.” There were however no takers. Everyone has to carry the baggage of their own follies. PPP’s case is unique. 

Remember party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (BBZ) threatening a long march (Khi-Isb) to oust PML-N government if it didn’t fulfil its four demands, appointment of a foreign minister being the foremost. That didn’t happen, and Bilawal was content with a mini rather microscopic version from Lahore to Faisalabad. 

Literally, anguished by the low turnout of workers, aids told him it was a premature step given the re-organisation drive was under-progress. Content and satisfied with the pace of this drive, party’s Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira lately started to co-host a news channel talk show along with PTI, PML-N colleagues. Kaira definitely needed some pass time as we come to know BBZ will be busy in South Punjab and remain engaged in solid waste “mismanagement” issues with MQM Pakistan, simultaneously.

And elder Zardari’s rock solid grip on Sindh government issue not going away any time soon, Bilawal needs some political pass time, space. It’s a given that he would get the required support and patronage in Southern Punjab from uncles like Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood and former premier Yusuf Raza Gilani. This is a traditional yet pragmatic lot, much different than the PTI leaning urban elitists like Senator Aitzaz Ahsan and ilk.

In their desperation to contain PPP’s noose diving popularity in the Punjab, the lot gets desperate every now and then. For now they hope against hope Panama case delivers. But that is PTI’s turf. They lose bitterly or gain manifold, in any eventuality. For now they are engaged in Murad-Javed bout. Ready to pounce on every other God-gifted or man-made opportunity, our first to third tier politicians often act as minions when it comes to presenting their case in front of TV screens. Exaggeration, out of context and proportion argument, offered at their best. They can go to any extent to capture maximum air time, and public attention as a result. This is what happened in the Murad-Javed bout recently, blown out of proportion by both the sides. Aftershocks continue till date. 

Remember Imran Khan announcing none of PTI members would go to any talk show where Javed Latif would be a participant. Recently allowing his comrades, Ali Muhammad plus Murad Saeed, to engage in a fresh point scoring war of words, the PTI chief took another sharp turn, rather his infamous U-turn. Did he keep his words in all this? Or took a rational look at the whole situation? Instead, he demanded apology and immediate disciplinary action against Javed Latif from none other than Premier Sharif himself.

If action against Javed Latif is done by the treasury, does it absolve Imran Khan of his responsibility to take action against Murad Saeed for going abusive and physical, if some glimpses of TV talk show participation are taken as evidence. But here the cricketer turned political skipper tends to ignore moral high ground and fair play to political expediency and party loyalty. PTI “junoon” easily overpowers logic and reason. Let’s wait and see what Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has to offer in this case.