ISLAMABAD – Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) explores theperformance of PML-N’s government with regard to three very crucial areasnamely foreign policy, anti-terrorism and the China Pakistan EconomicCorridor (CPEC). There are basically two sections of the report. One ofthem deals with the Assembly’s Output while the other deals with theOversight of the Executive’s Performance based on various agenda.
The report states that the government-sponsored and supplementary businessitems were preferred over the private lawmaker’s interventions. Foreignaffairs in the parliamentary business were no more than five per cent ofthe regular agenda.
*Resolutions, Calling Attention Notices, Resolutions, Motions, andQuestions*
According to *FAFENlink>*,more than two thirds (67%) of the resolutions on foreign affairs weretreated as supplementary agenda. Overall, the agenda related to foreignaffairs included 24 (5%) Calling Attention Notices (CANs), 55 (12%)resolutions, 27 (10%) Motions under Rule 259, 671 (5%) questions and aprivate member’s bill which did not proceed beyond committee deliberation.
On the other side, lawmakers pointed out the same issue through CANs andfortunately most of them, 83 per cent, could draw the responses from thegovernment. The lawmakers demanded responses over the issues pertaining toforeign policy. Interestingly, 90% of 671 questions were responded well.
The total of eight per cent of the agenda of national assembly was given toforeign policy, anti-terrorism and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC), all three of them are quite crucial. 55 resolutions were presentedin the assembly. In them matters interconnected to foreign policy werediscussed, even the performance of foreign office was interpolated. Forfurthering the relations with other countries, 88 Parliamentary FriendshipGroups were established. In 2015 and 2017, resolutions were passed infavour of Rohingya Muslims and demanded the international community to takeactions against Myanmar government.
*Relations with India, Afghanistan, and even the US deteriorated*
The relations with neighbouring countries especially India and Afghanistandeteriorated. The relations with US remained strained during the tenure.This majorly happened after the statements of Donald Trump. The House alsocondemned the drone strikes expressed detestation over anti-Pakistanistatements of the US president.The reaction of the House was quite severethat in one of the resolutions it was recommended to terminate ties withthe US. Just like other resolution, this resolution lost somewhere.
On the other side, there were eight resolutions regarding Indo-Pakrelations of which the major subject was Kashmir and ceasefire violationson LOC and Working Boundary. The statements of Indian premier Modiregarding acceptance to break Pakistan by intervening in its internalaffairs and supporting extremist elements was also condemned.
Total of 24 CANs were required clarifications from the concernedministries. CANs related to India were majorly dealing with Kashmir, bordermanagement, and violations on LOC.
*PTI was more concerned with foreign affairs*
The party that seemed to be more concerned with foreign affair issues wasPTI which moved nine of the 24 CANs, seven solely and two with the supportof PPPP and AMLP lawmakers.
Around five per cent or 671 of 13,912 questions were related to foreignpolicy. Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded 554 questions as they wererelated to various aspects of foreign policy. 96 lawmakers of eight partiesasked questions on foreign affairs.
Overall, the performance of the assembly could not bring good name to thecountry. State of foreign policy deteriorated as relations with the US,India, and Afghanistan severely soured. In short, the next legislativeassembly would have gigantic tasks regarding foreign policy to deal with.
By *Junaid Ali Malik link>*