Balochistan PA's short sitting

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The Balochistan Assembly is unique in many ways and to its credit it has some unique records. Its one-member opposition has never been able to attend its sessions, nor is there a Leader of the Opposition because the ruling coalition is in no mood to grant the lone opposition member, Yar Mohammad Rind, his due status. The ruling coalition comprises the most broadly represented leadership. Irrespective of highly conflicting and contentious stances on national affairs at the level of federation or in other provinces, the political elite of Balochistan is the one to enjoy the 'fruits of democracy' as they all sit on the treasury benches in an abounding ambience of bonhomie. The Balochistan Assembly is unique for the reason that almost all of its members, minus the one-man opposition in the house, are either ministers or advisors - after all what is left in politics if you don't have power. And on Monday, it set yet another record: it met for just less than three minutes and adjourned the session till the next day without doing any kind of business. Why did the Balochistan PA meet? It had met to receive a brief by Interior Minister Rehman Malik in complete violation of the Constitution. Under Article 110 of the Constitution, only "the Governor may address the provincial assembly and may for that matter require the attendance of the members". In this case, Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani had accepted federal interior minister's proposal to brief the house on law and order situation of Balochistan. Minister Malik, who is always anxious to brief the elected members in-camera, didn't turn up because of his 'very busy schedule'. But Chief Minister Raisani was not prepared to concede Malik's priorities and burst out deploring the "non-serious and undemocratic attitude" of the interior minister. Chief Minister Raisani was angry all the more for the reason that it was not so simple as one would think to call the Balochistan Assembly into session. Speaker of the assembly, Aslam Bhootani, had refused to preside over the house, arguing that the sitting chief minister and his government is unconstitutional in the wake of Supreme Court's order and he would not like to run afoul of the Constitution. And there is damaging split in Raisani's own party, PPP, over the question of his legitimacy. How much this house can then deliver on the critical challenges the law and order situation in the province of Balochistan one would be extremely sceptical. No wonder then Balochistan is in the ever-tightening grip of chaos and anarchy given the vulgar display of Byzantine politics. The question, however, remains as to what made Interior Minister Rehman Malik to ask for the Balochistan Assembly session and then not to show up at the eleventh hour. Was there a plot, as alleged by Sadiq Umrani who heads the Balochistan chapter of the PPP and is said to be the man who manoeuvred suspension of Nawab Raisani's basic party membership, to 'pitch the federation against the judiciary'? By not showing up in the assembly Rehman Malik has exhibited his political maturity, claims Umrani. But all this had happened to immense annoyance of Nawab Raisani, who would like to stick to power come what may. And in this desire he's not alone; the whole cabal of feudal lords, tribal chieftains and high-ranking clergy is with him, as shown by them last month when the house gave a vote of confidence to Nawab Raisani. On that occasion, they couldn't give too hoots about judiciary; they didn't care at all about it. No doubt, the Team Nawab's antics might have pleased some textbook of democracy. But have the elected representatives of Balochistan delivered on the mandate given to them by the people? Certainly not. Tragically, as Balochistan is gradually being sucked into a black hole of violence and lawlessness, the ruling elite is so much out of sync with bitter ground realities. What a simulacrum or a profoundly unsatisfactory imitation of democracy!