Parliament scenes It was but natural

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) savoured the taste of the parliament, which turned out to be very bitter, after seven months’ boycott.
The PTI was on the defensive and sheepish. It was but natural that most of the political parties, which had received severest thrashing from Imran Khan for over half a year, took the presence of the PTI as an opportune time to settle scores. They had been waiting for the PTI to return to the assemblies. They released their pent-up rage. However, it will not be end of the story and such shouting matches will continue to mar the parliamentary scene in the days to come. The PTI has to live with it.
Clearly, the huge tensions triggered by the by-election to the National Assembly constituency, NA-246 Azizabad Karachi, crept in the proceedings. The unending acrimonious reaction of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to the PTI’s return was reflective of this confrontation.
The kind of language used against the legislature by the PTI for a long time especially its countless declarations never to return haunted the party and will continue to do so in future as well. Taunts, boos and jeers were directed at the PTI for coming back to the very parliament that, according to it, is product of rigged general elections. Rousing offensive shouts welcomed the PTI lawmakers, which plunged the proceedings into uproar.
The pertinent legal question about the validity or otherwise of the resignations of the PTI lawmakers came up repeatedly. However, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq handled the issue prudently because it was his decision not to hold them in order and let the system work, uninterrupted.
Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif lost temper while lashing out at PTI legislators seeing them in attendance, and said there is something known as ethics and morals, which are alien to them. “Feel ashamed; you kept abusing the parliament for a long time. The PTI members are still saying that this parliament came into being through rigging.”
The PTI, he stated, has no right to sit in the parliament after they lambasted it and the government from atop the container. However, leader of opposition in the Senate and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan defended PTI stance and said the government itself invited the PTI to the parliament.
The MQM was thrilled over the defence minister’s drubbing of the PTI. Not only the MQM, but several ruling party MPs also rejoiced over the attack. They kept interrupting the proceedings.Pouring his anger, following his party line, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar found “strangers” present in the parliament, and termed PTI’s participation against the Constitution. “Those who are trying to uphold democratic values are playing with the Constitution and are trying to manipulate it.”
MQM chief Altaf Hussain expressed the view that the PTI lawmakers whose memberships had been suspended were brought to the session on the excuse of joint parliamentary session to debate the crisis in Yemen. “Just like you (a woman) have to get married again (to get into the wedlock with the same person, who has divorced her), a lawmaker has to contest elections again once if he has resigned; the PTI lawmakers are illegitimate members.”
The Jamiat Ulemae Islam-F (JUI) of Maulana Fazlur Rehman did not lag behind in tantalising the PTI for returning in the parliament it had ceaselessly abused and insulted.Outside the parliament, former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry also made his contribution and said that Imran Khan’s return negated his own statements. “Constitutionally, PTI’s resignations have been accepted; its MPs should not have been allowed to attend the joint session; everyone must wait to see what response Imran Khan presents (before the judicial commission) regarding allegations.”
The harsh attack had its impact on Imran Khan, who said the criticism did no insult to him but they exposed themselves. He was particularly irked by Khawaja Asif’s tirade. He was upset over the language employed against him. He asked whether Asif had the permission to say what he stated.
Then, the PTI chief put a strange question as to who was abused by him during his protest. This was extremely strange as there is a universal consensus that Imran Khan’s choice of words was at times highly unethical and immoral, which crossed all bounds when he was occupying his container.
Ironically, Imran Khan repeated that the parliament he was attending was the result of the rigged elections. This was bizarre and ridiculous. “I stick to my stance that it is a rigged assembly.”
He felt a clear difference between the container and the parliament. At container, he would speak whatever he wanted and would say whatever he wished. He planned to speak on the Yemen crisis but was not given time. Rather Fazlur Rehman got the floor, as the speaker has to keep in mind the importance of the parliamentary leaders. The PTI chairman left the proceedings without delivering his speech. His deputy Shah Mehmood Qureshi did make a speech.