As Pakistan navigates the transition from a care­taker government to the establishment of a new admin­istration with the election of Provincial Chief Ministers and the impending selection of a new Prime Minister, the nation stands at the threshold of a new politi­cal epoch. This pivotal moment not only heralds a fresh chapter in governance but also beckons a period of introspection regarding the conduct within our most hal­lowed democratic institutions.

Amid the noise of political crit­icism filling our evening news, a quieter yet widespread problem requires our notice — the de­cline of parliamentary manners. Our Parliament, inspired by the magnificence of the Roman Sen­ate, calls for respect that goes beyond those who sit in it. It’s a place meant for democracy and debate to meet in respectful har­mony, maintaining its dignity and principles.

However, the echoes of im­maturity reverberating through the halls of our assemblies be­tray a nascent understanding of democratic engagement. The incident in the KP assembly, where PML-N lawmaker Sobia Khan was subjected to a barrage of items including a ‘lota’, serves as a stark illustration of this ju­venile disregard. The spectacle, fueled by both PTI support­ers and lawmakers, morphed the assembly into a battlefield of pettiness, far removed from the decorous debate one might expect in such hallowed halls. This ruckus was not without its provocations. The act of raising a watch by the same lawmaker, a gesture aimed at the tender nerve of the Toshakhana case, has emerged as a peculiar tac­tic within the PML-N’s arsenal. Though legally permissible, this strategy, reprised by Khawaja Muhammad Asif in the National Assembly, teeters on the brink of parliamentary propriety.

The initial session of the Na­tional Assembly too witnessed its share of theatrics, with mem­bers of the SIC adorning poorly crafted Imran Khan masks. These masks, serving both as symbols of protest and projectiles, under­scored a disregard for the sancti­ty of parliamentary proceedings.

Amidst all this, Asifa Bhutto’s vocal presence in the Parlia­ment’s gallery, championing her family’s legacy, highlights a mis­understanding of the gallery’s role as a space for silent observa­tion, not active engagement. This act muddies the expected deco­rum of such a respected setting. It overlooks the principle that the privilege to speak within Parlia­ment is earned, not given.

These episodes collectively il­luminate a disconcerting trend: the gradual dilution of parlia­mentary decorum. The ‘Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Busi­ness in the National Assembly’ delineate the expected conduct within these walls. Yet, when these guidelines are flouted with impunity, it raises profound questions about the boundar­ies of acceptable behavior in our most revered democratic institution. The infringement of parliamentary decorum is not an issue to be taken lightly. It reflects not only on the individu­als involved but on our collective tolerance for such breaches. By allowing these actions to go un­checked, we risk normalizing a culture of disrespect that under­mines the very foundation of our democratic institutions.

Why should you care, you might ask? Because this isn’t just any building — it’s our Parlia­ment, the beating heart of our democracy. It belongs to us, the people of Pakistan. We’re the ones who vote these lawmakers into their seats, and it’s our duty to ensure they respect the stage they stand on.

We would do well to remem­ber that the true measure of any democracy’s health lies not in the levels of disagreement within parliamentary spaces but in the caliber of discussions and discourse coupled with a certain reverence for democratic princi­ples. Yes, our political landscape is marred by deep divisions and dwindling tolerance, but let’s not provide further fodder for international scrutiny over our democracy’s condition and atleast try to set good precedent for the future.

EHMUD SARWAR