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National Assembly session adjourned amid uproar
Protesting opposition parties on Tuesday blocked the start of the National Assembly session over the sweeping presidential powers after Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali warned the opposition of a collapse of the system.
What the hell? Everything else in Pakland has collapsed, so why sweat a little thing like this?
Chanting "no LFO no" and "go Musharraf go", opposition members twice besieged the rostrum before and after a break for Maghreb prayers, ignoring the speaker's call for order. While an afternoon drizzle brought back chill to the capital after some hot days, the National Assembly seemed seething with tension between the rival political camps. But the treasury benches made no attempt to counter the opposition shouting, except a brief desk-thumping to cheer the arrival of Mr Jamali, who issued his warning and urged opposition to avoid confrontation in a speech to the ruling coalition. "If the system collapses, all of us will be plunged into political wilderness," the prime minister said, echoing the warning he gave last week that opposition's insistence to clip the president of his powers could lead to the dissolution of the National Assembly.
"Mr Chairman! Point of order! Yow! That was close!"
"The chair recognizes Mr Chowdry... No, the other Mr Chowdry... Not that one! The one with the green turban! Hey! Watch it with those things!"
"Mr Chairman, I propose no weapons of larger than .50 caliber be allowed on the floor of this honorable House!" |
The opposition members began chanting "no LFO no" as soon as the speaker began reading names of a panel of chairmen - who could preside over the session in his absence - after the usual recitation from the holy Quran.
"Gentlemen, let us bow our heads... Put that goddamned crowbar down, Chowdry!"
"Make way for the Chaplain!"
"Die, blasphemer!" |
But the speaker appeared undaunted and went ahead even with reading leave applications sent by several members for their absence from the house. The shouting stopped briefly after a PPP member from Badin, Ghulam Ali Nizamani, collapsed at his desk because of an epileptic fit, but resumed after the patient was sent to hospital.
"Mr Chairman! Hey! look out!"
"The chair recognizes Mr Chowdry... No, the other Mr Chowdry... Cheeze! What was that?"
"Mr Chairman, Ghulam Ali Nizamani has been possessed by devils!"
"Again?" |
The speaker's call to Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Chaudhry Noraiz Shakoor to make a statement - possibly to announce a cut in prices of petroleum products decided earlier in the day - failed to materialize because of the hooting and hollering shouting. Amid renewed shouting after the prayer break, Salim Jan Mazari of the National Alliance, a PML-Q ally, was hardly audible after the speaker allowed him to read out a motion against some police action. Mr Jamali's arrival only made the opposition shouts louder, which finally forced the adjournment of the house.
| After which they no doubt retired to the parking lot for a fistfight... | |
Posted by: Paul Moloney 2003-04-17 |
