Pakistan: Autocracy takes roots in NA

In a democratic system the National Assembly provides infrastructure of the Standing Committees comprising the members of the House to look after the day-to-day affairs of the country and execute the projects of the government. Thus in the parliamentary form of the government, the House elects members of the Standing Committees within one month after forming of the government. Lady luck does not favour the nations being ruled by the weak and fragile democracies; Pakistan is no exception. The PML-N formed the government under the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif for the third term that many believed had enough exposure and experience to run the democratic show—at least better than the previous government. But contrary to the expectations, after coming into power, outnumbering the opponents in vote-count, the government, perhaps, lost its interest in the National Assembly. The elections of the 34 NA Standing Committees were held but only after six weeks’ delay. A notification to this effect is still being awaited for convening the meetings of these committees that are supposed to elect their heads. The inordinate delay has left the entire process in limbo. Hence barring Finance Bill, the federal government is yet to undertake any legislation which is simply not possible in the absence of fully functional Standing Committees. If the government has ignored the formation of the mandatory standing bodies, the weak Opposition, for obvious reasons, has not shown any sense of urgency to this effect either despite the lapse of over one hundred days that are mostly considered as crucial to set tune of the government for the rest of the tenure. So far, the PML-N government has hardly taken up any issue of the national importance in the National Assembly to evolve consensus amongst the elected members of the people across Pakistan rather it preferred to use informal forum of the All Parties Conference to discuss the issue of terrorism. Similarly, the incumbent rulers have announced to sell off 31 national institutions including PIA, PSM and Railways but it is yet to raise infrastructure to execute the plan. Similarly, the matter of supreme importance like the decision to raise the prices of power and oil was taken with the consultations amongst the Prime Minister and his cronies rather than taking the National Assembly into confidence. What to talk of others, the government is yet to initiate consultation process with the Opposition over the appointment of the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee that establishes transparency and credibility of the rulers. The tendencies in the power corridors indicate that an autocratic rule is more likely to reign supreme in days, months and even years to come, and the National Assembly will be used as a rubber stamp which is the natural outcome in any state where the politics of dynasty becomes an acceptable norm.