Democracy rests on respect for dissent and difference of opinion. When institutions of state and the greater public do not have any respect for these, democracy is in peril. Pakistan has never been a true democracy for the last 77 years but the events of the last few years reflect the deep polarization within every segment of the society and polity.
The arrest of lawmakers associated with the PTI was a serious infraction of House privileges that triggered an uproar inside and outside the parliament. In the aftermath, a special 16-member committee was set up through a unanimous motion moved by the National Assembly, followed by the formation of a similar 13-member committee in the Senate to discuss, analyse and make “recommendations regarding issues related to parliament, rules and procedure, and conduct of business.”
The bigger question facing everyone, however, as an editorial in Dawn pointed out was “it is pertinent to examine the scope of the crisis parliament faces today. Over the years, a series of poor precedents have been set under successive governments that have greatly undermined its prestige and power. For example, it would be a big step towards restoring the prestige of parliament if our elected representatives agreed to stop constantly painting each other as the vilest villains to roam the earth.”
Further, as Dawn noted, “those who champion parliamentary politics must also respect its procedures. Attempts to bulldoze major legislation through backdoor deals, with votes coerced out of unwilling lawmakers, undermines everything parliament stands for.”
Finally, the editorial warned, “the effort to restore parliament’s sanctity must not be predicated on the actions or words of any individual. It must rise above all political differences, no matter how serious, if it is to achieve its intended results.”
