Jan Muhammad Jamali, the outgoing Deputy Chairman Senate on Thursday called for establishing a truth and reconciliation commission to make it transparent who compromised on national interest. There are two types of people-anti-state and anti-government-but the former be taken to task as they damaged the country and made good their escape.
The time has come to differentiate between the categories whether they are politicians, bureaucrats or generals, he said while bidding adieu to Upper House of Parliament. Jamat Ali Shah, former commissioner of Pakistan Commission on Indus Water, Jamali said, should be called back immediately and punished as he is the real traitor who sold out the scares life saving source [water] of the country.
"The country is going through a critical phase...if Nelson Mandela can establish a truth and reconciliation commission after so many years in prisons, can't we adopt such a strategy to streamline things, which are worsening with each passing day", he questioned. Jamali said that he is retiring to pursue field politics as the situation in Balochistan is not conducive. I'm going back to sit with my Baloch brethren and want to resolve the crisis in the restive province through dialogue, giving due respect to the people, he added.
He went on saying that the Baloch people have great expectations from the incumbent government of PPP but it also failed in soothing their wounds despite passage of four and half years. Jamali said that during his nine-year stint as deputy chairman Senate, he failed to pave the way for holding direct elections of the upper house of parliament. The elections to Senate should be held directly, he said, adding that he would always remain a strong supporter for direct Senate elections.
"I failed in convincing the House to legislate for direct Senate elections. I request Raza Rabbani to pursue my unfinished agenda, it will help in representing the people in a real sense", he added. "Basically I'm a parliamentary romantic", Jamali said while recalling his jokes which he used to crack during the sessions to make the environment a bit pleasant when the senators got bored, listening to hours long debates.
"How can I forget my women senators, whom I used to call 'my madams'...they remained so kind to me throughout when I made remarks on their dresses even...the women must be given 33 percent quota in Senate if elections are made direct", he added. Senator Ilyas Bilour of Awami National Party (ANP) came down hard on the finance minister Dr Abdul Hafiz Sheikh over SRO 191, saying that the said SRO has spread more thorns in the way of industrialists.
The industrialists are not responsible for the documentation of the economy because this is the job of FBR, Bilour added, for which they are being paid from national exchequer. The Finance Minister quickly responded, inviting the enraged Bilour to his office with full assurance to resolve the issue within hours.
Sheikh, who won his Senate seat after great struggle, left no stone unturned in showering praise on Chairman Senate Dr Farooq H Naek. He said that in the parliamentary history of Pakistan, Naek's name will be written with golden words. He also accepted that the government failed to do what people were expecting but expressed resolve to carry on the economic polices for the betterment of the common man.
He said that Senate's decisions will have far-reaching impact on the country's development and people's prosperity. The current Senate was part of a parliament that made historic legislation to strengthen democracy, he said. Raja Zafarul Haq, Muhammad Ismail Buledi, Naeem Hussain Chattha, Shirala Malik, Raja Zafarul Haq, Muhammad Jahangir Bader, Mir Mohabbat Khan Marri, SM Zafar, Maulana Gul Naseeb and Almas Parveen also spoke. The House was adjourned to meet again on Friday at 10:00am.