Speakership in Pakistan
In contemporary global democratic political system, the decision making process surpasses through a long debate and discussion procedures. The debate and discussion is regulated by one member who is popularly known as speaker of the house across the world. The speaker has to regulate the debate in such a manner that every participant could have enough time to express over the concerned issue or problem. In short, speaker is a neutral person who is merely responsible for regulation the business and order of the house. Likely, the speaker needs not to be indulged in questions and answers or any other political debate that could make speakership liable to be disrespected.
Likewise, Pakistan has, constitutionally, to follow a democratic trend of debates and discussion with respect to political decision making procedures in the political institutions. In this regard, Pakistan has been flourishing a parliamentary setup to strengthen democratic norms in the country. Unfortunately, instead of enrooting democratic norms in the political institutions, authoritarianism and despotism have been taking place. Since long. Speakership has been considered one of the honorary and prestigious designation within party politics and at institutional level. In UK political system, once speaker remains always speaker. It’s because of respect and reverence rendered by the parliamentarians to the chair of speakership. The respect received by the speakership is actually due to the role played by the chair neutrally.
Significantly, Pakistan is a multi-ethnic and multi-party political entity. In a state of diversity, neither too rigidity nor too flexibility work well but a moderate way. The introduction of a moderate way in political discourses and debates within the house is to be done by the speaker. The speaker needs to be the speaker of the house not of the party concerned. Any honorable person getting the chair of speakership is distinguished by his/ her role. The chair of speakership propels certain liabilities, obligations and responsibilities to be upheld as an honorary and distinguished position. That is why the honor of the chair of speakership is at the mercy of the speaker of the house. In Pakistan, speakership is also one of the distinguished position in political arena but it is usually exploited at the hands of the speaker by political parties.
For instance, Asad Qaiser has been serving as a speaker of national assembly of Pakistan. Personally, Asad Qaiser has a good and humble personality but he has been serving the chair of speakership as a confused personality. He is unable to take whole house in leading any political debate or discussion. He even fails to determine the right person to answer a right question raised by any member. He deals opposition the way as deemed by his party. Undoubtedly, he belongs to the ruling political party PTI but he has to maintain the prestige of the chair of speakership. He serves as a speaker of the party more than as that of the house. On the issue of production orders as corroborated by the rules of business of the house of an arrested member, he seemed helpless and hamstrung.
Likewise, Asad Qaiser listens treasury benches comparatively more humbly than that of opposition benches. He fails even to keep the house in order during speeches of worth significance for the sake of the nation. His dubious role has dwindled the chair of speakership up-to the abuse of the members particularly of opposition leaders. Currently, members and leaders of opposition usually avoid to render reverence to the speaker as it was deemed necessary in the past. Humiliation and degradation of the chair of the speaker depict the behavior of the nation. It develops and establishes a wrong political culture that can even lead to drown the nation. Neutral speakership is essential for the development of harmonized political culture for running the routine business of the house.
In addition, the provincial assemblies of Pakistan are not much different from the national assembly. The opposition members in all the four provinces face a similar situation during sessions. Most of the opposition members are dealt with harsh words by the respective speakers. The speaker of each concerned province renders more allegiance to his respective political party than that of the entire assembly. All speakers have become defender of their party actions and policies. It’s one of the reason that political deadlocks prevail in each province. Due to negative role of speakers and unnecessary agitation of members have made the people and their rights at stake. It has added imprecation and profanity to the political process across the country.
Consequently, the positive role of a speaker can change the fate of a dispersed and underdeveloped state like Pakistan. The speaker of either assembly needs to maintain the dignity and honor of the chair of speakership for the sake of political tenderness of the nation. The speaker must use his constitutional powers without fear and hesitation to keep the house in order. Each member of the house must be treated with equity and equality. Political opponents must not be dealt as enemy of the state. A positive role of the speaker can save the country from political turmoil. It can also play a pivotal role in eradication of political deadlocks. It would save politics from polarization and radicalism. A good speaker is to be a neutral speaker to serve the entire nation and house as a whole instead of serving party. A good speaker is like a humble mother who opens her arms for all her crying children and treat them all equally.
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