Press Gallery: Return of Tsunami Khan, Judicial activism dominates the scene

Return of Tsunami Khan, judicial activism dominates the scene 

Saeed Minhas

ISLAMABAD: Return of a matured and diplomatic tsunami Khan to the floor of the National Assembly remained one of the major highlight of the day but what made it even more interesting was the way an otherwise blazing Chaudhry Nisar welcomed his suggestions and the way Rawalpindi-express Sheikh Rasheed was trying to tail and trail Khan throughout the day.
What remained encouraging was that neither the treasury benches nor the opposition troika of PPP, PTI and MQM were trying to play to the galleries. Discussions remained glued to issues and responses from the treasury benches were adequately measured where one can hardly get the impression that they were just beating about the bush. If Imran suggested verification of votes in four constituencies, Chaudhry Nisar offered to get the same done for 30 seats. If Imran wanted to push his main post-poll agenda of revamping the election commission by question the conduct of Fakhru Bhai and his four provincial comrades, Nisar reminded in a jovial manner that he was actually the nomination of PTI and not of PML (N) in the good old days when CEC was being decided by PPP government.
Much to the dismay of street smart Sheikh Rasheed, the whole debate remained very friendly and comical too which left no space for anyone to play referee or fix a bout. Sheikh, however, was seen tailing Imran Khan even when he went to sign member’s roll all the way up to the table of the Speaker, Ayaz Sadiq. After all Sheikh has to show his loyalty to a man who made it possible for him to return to air-conditioned power brokering halls after making two unsuccessful attempts during PPP tenure, remarked one of senior journalist who has seen all his political overtures since his youthful Gordon College days.
As discussions, suggestions, accusations and complaints continue to echo the NA hall, Babus from FBR was gathering sympathies for their new political bosses by declaring before the black robes that proposed increase in sales tax would not impact the common man because it has not been levied on 70 edible and daily use items. They were presenting their case before the Supreme Court as if the suo moto on actual hike in prices of daily commodities is based on misplaced information. Whether our honourable justices go for shopping these daily items or not but one should commend them that at least they have shown to the public that their authority to summon and at least ask him/her is potently present there.
As one of our lower judiciary friend currently based in southern Punjab reveals that he hardly knows who fills his fridge with fresh vegetables, all sorts of meat, edibles and even beverages but whenever he opens it he finds it fully topped up. Same goes for his clothing cabinet which remained tip-top with Junaid Jamshed collection whenever he needs one. He recalls that on the first day of posting to a remote district all he remember was that a local patwari asked about my clothing and shoe sizes and showed me the gate of my palatial official house and since then neither he had asked anyone who is doing this all hence no one is telling him. “I used to call my elder brother in the village to send me some money every month while I was posted in Lahore but ever since I have been posted in this God-forsaken area I have never felt the need to spend a single penny from my official pay which is piling up in my bank account,” he revealed with amusement written all over his face.
Certainly the case with the higher judiciary is totally different and they are considered not only above all such ‘don’t know’ stuff but above board from even public accounts committee of an elected house. Of course they get salaries from the same public exchequer from where rest of all public servants including public representatives is paid and for sure they do not have any other source of income other than their highest (amongst public servants) salary package. That’s why they have shown their class by devoting their time and energies on correcting the path of in-land and even outlandish issues like Swiss (President), US (Haqqani) and UK (Wajid Shamsul Hassan).
Being class apart, our black robes sitting on high pedestals of white marble building, displayed their prowess by even telling the newly appointed attorney general--their old buddy throughout lawyers movement--Munir A. Malik that instead of advocating a law from British days of 1931, he should ask his new masters to frame laws which carry more common sense. We do remember when Aitzaz Ahsan was rebuked for making a case in Swiss-graft case. Therefore, legislators from the opposition benches were hoping that superior judges should know that once levied this one per cent will ultimate be passed on to consumers, as no manufacturer ever has paid any tax, duty or surcharge from his own profit bucket. They do not even pay their taxes honestly, why should they pay new levies, remarked a legislator adding that especially when they can just 10 per cent of their tax to FBR Babus why should they bother burdening them with book keeping tasks.