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