The new Pakistani lawmaker: Richer, flashier

New breed of legislators
Nasim Zehra, a Pakistani analyst and fellow at Harvard University's Asia Center, cited "a different texture in politics now."

"The orientation of this parliament is different, with a different kind of people with different backgrounds," Zehra said.

On Wednesday, Khaled Mahmood Javed sat behind the tinted windows of a shiny sedan flying the flag of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party.

His brother, Rai Ghulam Murtaza, is an incoming lawmaker who first served under Bhutto in the 1980s.

"A lot of them are businessmen, and none are poor," Javed said of the new breed of legislators. "They're big men — important men — and they're less religious too."

Pakistan has seen annual economic growth of about 7 percent for the past five years — much of it due to cash sent home by Pakistani expatriates. Murtaza was among them, his brother said.

"My brother lived abroad for the past 15 years. He's a dual citizen of Canada," Javed said.

Many of Pakistan's top politicians are landlords. Others amassed fortunes in Pakistan's booming banking and telecom sectors while they sat out politics under Musharraf.

Not everyone is amused.

'No sympathy for the poor'
Ameerul Azim, a spokesman for Pakistan's largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami — which along with all but one Islamist faction boycotted the February polls — called the new lawmakers' show of wealth "an insult to the poor people of Pakistan."

"These people today proved that they have no sympathy for the poor," he said.

Even Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a Bhutto loyalist and contender for prime minister, acknowledged that the lawmakers' ostentatious wealth could raise doubts about their commitment to solving the problems of ordinary Pakistanis.

"Austerity should be exercised, given the economic compulsions that we have," Qureshi told Dawn News television. He said the country faced "huge challenges," with high inflation and power shortages.

Economic hardships persist for most Pakistanis. Millions live in poverty despite recent growth. The country has yet to fully overcome a severe shortage of staple wheat flour, and fuel prices have spiked sharply in recent weeks.

Outside parliament Wednesday, policemen sat in clusters under pine trees, watching new lawmakers parade past multicolored banners lining the drive to the legislature's marble pillars.

"Rich candidates always do better. They have more connections," one officer said as he picked at wild dandelions. A policemen earns just over $100 a month.

"Islam doesn't allow women to unveil themselves, but the atmosphere in Pakistan is changing day by day. You can see it in the fashion here," he said, requesting anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the media.

"It's a bit of a charade, but it's also a big sign of democracy and hope," he said.

More from msnbc.com Power struggle threatens Pakistan’s leader  Swine flu booster shots? Good luck with that From Levi to Letterman: Palin's rough year Obama gets mixed reviews on China's blogs Ice addict heads for poles, Everest | Trek posts On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA

South & Central Asia Section Front

Power struggle threatens Pakistan’s leader Goodbye to goodwill for Pakistan president Bomber slays 4 near Pakistan air base 12 Afghans die as militants target general   Troops hone artillery skills to cut Afghan deaths Fabled Foreign Legion finds a new war to fight South & Central Asia Section Front   Add South & Central Asia headlines to your news reader: