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Housefull in Pakistan

I was astonished. “The government drive to rationalise expenditure is fine but how can a parliament building with less seats help in this respect?”

“There is no need for a big building because not all elected members find time to attend the assembly session,” Mr Right pointed out. “They can do with a smalled space to sit and listen to purposeless debates.”

“Didn’t you read Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s statement?” he said. “Even ministers fail to attend the session.”

“Did he talk about the prime minister?” I asked. “No, because everybody knows how busy the prime minister has been touring friendly and unfriendly countries for talks. Chaudhry Nisar was mad at the ruling party lawmakers who preferred to stay away in the previous sessions.”

“He seems to be more concerned about the criticism of the opposition over the absence of the ruling party’s lawmakers,” I said. “He wants them to take interest in the business of the house to avoid embarrassment for the party.”

“He told them that their attendance was necessary to justify the perks and privileges they were receiving,” I said. “I liked it.”

“But I doubt if many of the members of the National Assembly liked it,” Mr Right said. “Some of them felt they had been ignored during the distribution of cabinet portfolios and many others thought their right to development funds was trampled.”

“This means that all of them need some kind of fuel to start their parliamentary machine that is lying idle up to now,” I said. “Is this some sort of ‘power load-shedding’ for them?”

“Looks like that,” Mr Right agreed. “They need more ‘power’ and active interaction with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif .They thought that party legislators would take an active interest in the assembly proceedings if he too started attending the sessions regularly.”

“But it depends on the prime minister’s schedule of meetings and foreign tours,” he stressed.

“Never mind,” I said. “Since Chaudhry Nisar is the interior minister, he knows how to deal with this problem.”

“Yes, he has formed a committee to monitor the attendance of party legislators,” Mr Right observed. “The panel will keep a record of the lawmakers’ activities in the assembly.”

“I think another committee should be formed to monitor their activities outside the assembly,” I said. “Well,” Mr Right smiled. “That would require a lot of work and the representatives of that committee should include officials from the Federal Investigatuive Agency, and income-tax, water, power and telephone departments.”

“The committee’s secret report could be used against the lawmakers if they observe too many holidays during the assembly session,” he said.

“This type of secret surveillance is effective against rebels and opponents, but I don’t know if it finds favour now,” I said. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is a perfect gentleman and believes in gentlemanly plans.”

“He loves to give, and his Yellow Cab scheme helped a lot of people to…”

“Grab the cab and devour the bank money,” Mr Right interrupted.

“That was the banking system’s fault, the intention of the government was good,” I said. “I think this time his loan scheme for the youth should be launched through lawmakers who should provide guarantees for the youth of their area.”

“The lawmakers should be asked not only to provide guarantees for the loan but also supervise their business ventures,” Mr Right suggested.

“The proposal is workable but its success depends upon proper monitoring of the projects by government audit departments.”

“I hope the audit department works honestly,” I said.

“If it works our youth will be able to set up their businesses and fulfil their dreams,” Mr Right said.

“And if it doesn’t?” I asked.

“At least, the lawmakers’ attendance in the assembly will go up,” he grinned.

Najmul Hasan Rizvi is a former assistanteditor of Khaleej Times