Cavalier approach to parliament.

THE PPP has warned the government against what it describes as an attempt to paralyse the Senate since the upper house has not been called into session for a significant period of time. PPP parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman told journalists that the Senate had not met for 108 days in any formal, full session and this was an unprecedented gap in the history of the upper house. She pointed out that as per Article 61 of the Constitution, the Senate was required to meet for no less that 110 days in a parliamentary year.

Ms Rehman has a valid point. The government's reluctance to call the Senate in session is reflective of its overall attitude towards parliament. This attitude crystallised in the early days of this government when the opposition started giving a tough time to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the treasury benches on the floor of the house.

In response, the government too adopted a hard-line stance, as a result of which parliamentary proceedings saw little else except shouting matches and mutually amplified acrimony. It wasn't that a working relationship between the government and the opposition broke down in parliament; it was never built in the first place.

The PTI, new to power at the centre, found it impossible to transition from the mindset and approach it had acquired during its opposition years, and opted, therefore, to be combative rather than accommodative which governments are supposed to be traditionally.

Hence, the business of legislation fell victim to confrontation and conflict that marred the proceedings of both...