Daily Times

The way the lower house of parliament erupted in chaos yesterday, especially after Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived along with other ministers, ought to shame all of our able politicians who win the public mandate just so they can argue their constituents’ cases in the halls of power. Yet unfortunately their commitment with the house ends as soon as they ascend to it, thanks to the people and all their votes of course. It’s no secret that all of Pakistan’s democratic governments failed to give parliament the respect and importance that it needs in a working democracy. Most of the decisions have for the longest time been taken in what are known as kitchen cabinets that comprise the rulers and their loyal few people. There have also been instances when the presence of the sitting prime minister in parliament made for a Breaking News item, quite literally, on TV channels.

Sadly the PTI government, which was expected to live up to Imran Khan’s high standards which he picked up during his time in the United Kingdom no doubt, has also disappointed. Despite his promise of attending parliament sessions regularly and appearing for question time every 15 days or so, the PM simply went back on his word and seems to be running the country just like all his predecessors; something that he used to criticise to no end when he was in opposition.

The reason for all the unpleasantness yesterday was most likely all the energy from the run up to the Gujranwala procession boiling over and causing heated exchanges to the point that the session had to be adjourned. But our cherished political representatives forget that when all the exchanges between government and opposition are over they will have to come back to the house in order to legislate in the interest of the people; as required by the constitution. Perhaps they should realise, once they are done lecturing each other about what makes for a better democratic party, that all of them are in gross violation of the most basic rules of political democracy. Parliament is meant for the most serious debates and sessions in the land. How and when did our people elect the kind of representatives that tarnish its relevance and embarrass their own voters? Surely, if the politicians do not sort themselves out the people will be forced to raise better among them to the house. *