It’s a matter of attitude
Unlike autocracy, a democratic system requires the elected leadership to be responsible to institutions instead of ignoring them or dictating to them. Those who grow up under the influence of feudal or tribal cultures or are groomed for leadership by autocratic rulers generally tend to imbibe undemocratic attitudes. This expresses itself in numerous forms when they enter politics in a democratic era. Democracy to this category is no more than majoritarian rule. Instead of seeking consensus they prefer to legislate by steamrolling the minority. People cannot claim anything as a right, they believe. Whatever is to be given to them has to be doled out as favour from the great leader. The leaders, be they parliamentarians or ministers, have privileges which they demand as a right. The prime minister has the right to pack judiciary with favourites and chief minister the right to appoint blue-eyed boys from bureaucracy to key posts. The parliament is supposed to act as no more than a rubber stamp.
This explains the PML-N government’s denigration of the National Assembly and the Senate. Article 91(6) of the constitution requires the entire cabinet along with the ministers of state to be “collectively responsible” to Senate and the National Assembly. The provision thus requires frequent presence of the prime minister at the two houses of parliament. During the nine months of the party’s tenure Nawaz Sharif has not attended a single session of the Senate, disregarding the opposition’s protests. On Monday the opposition again expressed dismay over his continued absence from the upper house. There was also another complaint. The opposition as well as members of the ruling coalition criticised the government for not presenting the national security policy before the Senate which was placed before the National Assembly last week.
The prime minister is mostly absent from the National Assembly also. This has led the ministers and the ruling party MNAs to follow suit. This absenteeism has created problems in the working of the government. At times there was no minister in the house to answer the members’ questions. As large number of ruling party MNAs also absent themselves from the house, this leads to the frequent breech of quorum. When a major earthquake in September killed 208 people in Balochistan, the house passed a resolution amidst empty ministerial benches. This provoked an opposition walkout and a scathing charge that the government was insensitive to national disaster. The blatant disinterest shown by the PML-N ministers and MNAs in the business of the house finally forced the leadership to monitor the attendance of its legislators.
There is a need on the part of the political parties to strengthen the system. Mushrraf failed to deliver the mandatory address before the joint session of parliament several times because he didn’t care for the parliament. It does not suit elected leaders to display a similar contempt for the two houses.
