Despite the tall claims, Prime Minister Imran Khan made of taking the opposition on board over issues of national interests the demeanour and language of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ministers tell a different tale. Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani barring the Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry from attending the ongoing Senate session is indeed a sad happening. However, the Chairman Senate had no other option but to take such an extreme measure as apologising was an action that the ego of Information Minister could not allow. What the minister forgets is that accepting one’s fault shows one’s bravery and moral courage. Doing so would not have reduced him in stature.
Hardly some days ago, both the treasury and opposition benches showed a consensus on the need of making an ethics committee that would devise a code of conduct for parliamentarians. Even though both benches stressed on the necessity of showing a mature behaviour during the proceedings of the parliament, Information Minister’s failure to oblige to the ruling highlighted the ugly norm that the politicians of the country frequently practice; having no regard for the democratic values in the parliament.
In the time when the common perception is that democratic values are taking roots in Pakistan, as it is evident from the successful transition of one government after another, Fawad Chaudhry should have acted according to the ruling of the Chairman. Doing so would not have lost him any respect. He would have earned it more had he apologised before the upper house.
Now that the masses have given PTI the chance to take the country out of the crisis, it is not just that the government wastes its energies by digging up the past. This way the nation will go in no forward directions. Instead of blaming the past governments for their inability to take the country out of the crisis, the information minister needs to inform houses about government’s plans on how it will meet the challenges it is facing.
It is a fact that running a ministry is not an easy job. And the ruling party usually assigns ministerial positions to the most competent persons in its rank and file. The Information Minister, we know, is an eloquent person. However, he should use his eloquence for persuading the opposition on matters of national importance. It is a humble reminder to Mr Fawad Chaudhry to rethink what his ministry demands from him. Also, if he kills his ego and tenders an apology before the upper house, contrary to his fears that doing so will humiliate him, will elevate his stature.