ISLAMABAD: During an otherwise lacklustre sitting on Tuesday, lawmakers in the National Assembly questioned each other’s connection with the ‘common man’.

The opposition asked when the government would understand the country’s challenges and requirements, while treasury members kept blaming the Pakistan Peoples Party government for sowing the seeds of Pakistan’s current economic woes.

Tuesday’s sitting also saw the first legislation since the introduction of the finance bill, with three bills and an ordinance to amend the National Command Authority Act being tabled before the house.

When legislative business was finally introduced, Shireen Mazari of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf noted that one of the statutory regulatory orders (SRO) laid before the house, dated Jan 4, 2016, contained a line about duties and taxes chargeable on scanners and equipment imported by the US Customs and Border Protection for installation at the integrated cargo container control terminal at Port Mohammad Bin Qasim

“If the US is importing and placing these materials at Port Qasim, have we handed over security of the port? Under what agreement has this been done? Otherwise, why would the US be importing and placing these materials at Port Qasim?”

Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho of the Pakistan Peoples Party also voiced her concerns, saying: “Even if there is some question of goods being scanned before [being sent] to the US, we should be doing the scanning; our customs, our security should be taking care of it.”

PPP vs PML-N

“What will it take for this government to assess the situation? How long will it take for them to realise the challenges this nation faces?” asked PPP’s Shazia Marri as she lambasted the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s inability to learn from previous budgets.

She rattled off a list of projects — including “the raising of Mangla, Diamer-Bhasha, Gomal and Sadpara Dam, Neelum-Jhelum hydro-project and the Thar coal exploitation project” — which she said were initiated by the PPP, but the PML-N government liked to take credit for.

She also accused the ruling party of following in Gen Musharraf’s footsteps, saying that without constituting a fresh National Finance Commission award or conducting a fresh census, the government had passed an “unconstitutional budget”.

It was down to the parliamentary secretary for finance to respond. Rana Mohammad Afzal Khan, who patiently listened to most parliamentarians’ budget speeches, deplored that there was more politics and less academic content in most of them.

Claiming credit for the PPP’s uninterrupted five-year tenure on behalf of the PML-N, he said a democratic transition may not have been possible had it not been for his party’s “positive role” when in opposition.

While making a point about agricultural subsidies, the parliamentary secretary rhetorically asked where the additional money should come from. When someone from the opposition benches prompted with the suggestion “Panama,” Mr Khan said, “Yes, we can pay the difference [through the] Surrey Palace, as well as Panama [proceeds].”

Moving to the question of Pakistani monies stashed in Swiss banks, he claimed the PPP had done nothing to ensure the return of these funds. “We are working to bring that money back. Our government is not responsible for the delay, but as soon as the FBR gets their details, we will proceed against them.”

More provinces

Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, a PML-N MNA from Rahim Yar Khan, caused some commotion when he called for the creation of new administrative divisions and provinces in the country.

“How can one secretary industries sitting in Lahore develop industrial zones all over Punjab? We will have to rise above linguistic differences and debate whether we need more provinces or not.”

These remarks were jeered by MQM members, who banged their desks loudly, before someone in the house quipped, “Karachi sooba nahin banay ga,” or “Karachi will never become a separate province”.

Calling for the creation of an independent national authority to oversee the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he stressed the need for “national ownership” of the CPEC, adding that this was only possible if the project ensured regional interconnectivity in terms of infrastructure development.

Mr Bakhtiar, who served as state minister for foreign affairs in the Musharraf regime, also extolled the need for better border security. He argued that with a civil war raging in neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan could not maintain its internal security in the presence of a porous border.

The Makhdoom from south Punjab surprised many in the house when he asked for more taxes on large agricultural land holders, adding: “People like me should be taxed the most.”

Meanwhile, PTI’s Mussarrat Ahmedzeb informed the house that Maj Ali Jawad Changezi, who was injured during skirmishes at the Torkham border, had passed away. The Jamaat-i-Islami’s Sher Akbar Khan then led prayers for the departed soldier.

Drawing the house’s attention to the matter of the privileges being unduly enjoyed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, PTI’s Dr Arif Alvi alleged that Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had declared that he was not drawing any salary in order to obtain a pension from the army.

He alleged that since leaving the military in 1982, Mr Chaudhry had been drawing a pension despite being appointed to various top government positions over the years.

Presenting four documents to the speaker, he said he had also written to the chair of the Public Accounts Committee to initiate action in this regard. However, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq was less than enthusiastic when he asked Dr Alvi to proceed “as per rules”.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2016