ONE midday in the middle of September, Umar Wahid received a phone call. “Pak, how about it? Can this paragraph be dropped?” said a woman at the other end. “No, this paragraph can’t be changed,” the head of the Health Affairs Bill Special Committee firmly replied.

The caller strived to contact Umar in the evening. “Pak, the alliance of tobacco farmers has voiced their aspirations,” she said. “Thousands will stage a demo on Monday