Shujaat Hamza
Every three years, with the retirement of half the members of the Senate and the election of new members, on one hand there is a shift in parliamentary politics, on the other hand the moral examination of political parties begins.
The tragedy of our politics and political leadership is that whether the election of MPs is in the hands of the people, or whether it is a nomination for special seats, party affiliation, political experience, or personal ties are considered ‘merit’ rather than ability and
loyalty.
The two major political parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-N and the Pakistan People’s Party, have been gaining majorities in the Punjab and Sindh Assemblies, respectively, and that is why the PML- N has in the past elected several leaders from Sindh as senators from Punjab. PPP elects several leaders from Punjab from Sindh quota. Similarly, the former MMA had made the late Maulana Shah Ahmad
Noorani of Sindh a senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the ANP had also elected Karachi leader Shahi Syed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The constitutional and moral status of this tradition is a separate debate, but even politically it has not benefited the parties concerned. Those who were elected from other province’s quota and made their presence felt in the upper house and benefited the party include
Senator Farooq Naik, Senator Abdul Rehman Malik and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
They proved that they were eligible to become members of the Senate. On the contrary, the PML-N ticket holders in the Senate often proved to be a burden for the party and the Senate. Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Senator Saleem Zia, Senator Nihal Hashmi, Senator Asad Junejo and Senator RaheelaMagsi from Sindh were elected from the quota of Punjab and Islamabad, but only Mushahidullah Khan from the upper house made his presence felt and strengthened the party’s rhetoric. The rest never spoke in the Senate.
Now there are plans to elect former Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair and PML-N Sindh President Syed Shah Muhammad Shah from the Punjab quota. From a political point of view, Shah Mohammad Shah can be more effective than Mohammad Zubair, because he has a political identity and can be instrumental in popularizing the party within Sindh.
Mohammad Zubair has been the governor. This time PML-N has no position to elect a senator in any province except Punjab, the PDM platform may get a seat from Balochistan, or a chance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but instead an ally from Punjab will have to be accommodated, while in Punjab too, a maximum of five seats can be won by conducting polling with utmost care and using one’s votes. The opposition has a hard time, and in the meantime there is a need in the Senate for leaders who are popular with the people in the House and can walk with the party.
In this regard, the PMLN Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter President Amir Muqam has proved his political status and importance at all levels, at the moment he has more right to be brought to the Senate from the quota of Punjab. It was due to Amir Muqam’s personal efforts in 2018 that Pir Sabir Shah was elected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this time it is very difficult for PML-N to get a seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PDM forum can also be used to get alternative votes from Balochistan by voting for others in KP. By electing Amir Maqam from Punjab, not only the party workers can be encouraged, but also the party narrative can get a strong voice in th upper house.
Amir Muqam has the approval of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif and is probably one of the few party leaders who are not part of any grouping and are working for the party cause. If we look only at the two and a half years of the incumbent government and the politics of the opposition, Amir Maqam has played a dynamic role by making the most sacrifices, yet he has been the victim of revenge by the federal and provincial governments. Getting elected from the Punjab Assembly may prove to be a good decision of the PML-N leadership, which will lead to the party’s popularity in the
future.
