Adil Najam
The way that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was removed was bad enough. But what has happened since then is even more disturbing.
The Chief Justice removed. Media being muzzled. Lawyers protesting beaten up.
One can debate whether Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry should have been removed or not, or even whether the way he was removed was appropriate or not. But there is no question that the way the government is dealing with this issue is shameful, distressing, and dangerous.
The shamefulness is obvious in these pictures; just as it was when a young man’s shalwar was taken off as he protested ‘disappearances’ some months ago. It is distressing because it demonstrates the sanctity of our most important institutions - the judiciary and the media - is under stress. It is dangerous because if one keeps slipping down this road then it is not merely the future of this government but that of the entire country that will be at stake.
Whether the lawyers here instigated the violence or not, I do not know. They very possibly did, and that is itself disturbing. But that is not the point. The question is how a society and a state deals with dissent and protest. Once again, the answer is: “Shamefully.”
I do not know who is advising the government on all of this. I just pray that someone is. I hope there is someone who stands up and says:
“Don’t do this.
Please don’t do this.
This is not good for you.
This is not good for the country.
This cannot be good for anyone.
Please - for God’s sake - STOP!”
I wish I had something more profound to say right now. But as I stare at these pictures and this video clip, I hold my head in shame; I am distressed; and I ponder on the dangers before us.
All I can think of right now is: “Allah khair karey!”
(Also see a BBC video report here. All pictures above from BBC website; video from GEO News).ÂÂ
Altaf is busy in “Thoughtful sessions” across punjab these days.
Where are those people whose missing relatives CJ tried to recover? At least they should openly support him.
LUMS responds to ‘unlawful’ removal of CJ with ‘teach-in’
LAHORE: The LUMS Law and Policy faculty is arranging a university-wide teach-in, consisting of faculty and external experts giving talks on constitutional history and judicial independence on March 14, Wednesday. It will be open to students as well as other citizens. The teach-in was announced in a statement released on Monday that expressed said faculty condemnation of the removal of the chief justice of Pakistan. They described the government’s action as “arbitrary�, “coercive�, “insulting� and “unlawful�. The statement bore names of the entire Law and Policy faculty. It said that the unconstitutional act had “exposed the government’s democratic pretensions� and affirmed “the worst tradition of executive contempt for the apex court�. It observed that the removal brought the country into “disrepute in the eyes of its citizens and the world�. The statement also condemned “in the strongest possible terms the government’s shameful brutality in attacking colleagues [of LUMS faculty] in the legal profession for exercising their democratic and human right to peacefully assemble in protest against this gross violation of judicial independence and the rule of law�. staff report
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The credentials of the law and policy faculty at LUMS can be viewed here: http://www.lums.edu.pk/schools%20%26%20Programs/ar t_school/ba-llb/faculty.asp
I would really encourage citizens in Lahore to attend the ‘teach-in’.
btw here is the link to the report showing the exact amount ppp is giving to people who bought you the iraq war.
http://www.prweek.com/us/news/article/642662/Burso n-reps-Pakistan-opposition-party/
WASHINGTON: Burson-Marsteller recently signed a $28,500-a-month contract through the end of June 2007 to assist the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by the former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in its efforts to foster US support for “free elections” in Pakistan.
excellent. and about time. i can think of no other group in pakistan more deserving of a good old fashioned phaintee through lathi charge than the lawyer mafia who, while drapping itself in the flag of democracy, cant even agree on its own election results:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id= 4789
Lawyers accuse Qayyum of doctoring SCBA poll result
Progressive Group of Lawyers claims high margin victory in re-election
“LAHORE: The Professional Group of Lawyers has accused Justice (retd) Malik Muhammad Qayyum of tampering with the election results of Supreme Court Bar Association…”
also the sight of blood seems to be eliciting a lot of sympathy for the scumbag lawyers yet i cant recall reading even a few words of sympathy for the shaduth of 600+ army jawan in fata and baluchistan. also showing blood to the press camera is an old Pakistani trick. the mullahs in fact got people killed during the cartoon riots. awam however did not bite than and wont bite now. people supporting the lawyers will have to ask for foreign help which is precisely what bb is doing.
Just like MMA is Mullah-Military-America.
you know what MQM stands for nowadays,
Musharraf Qaumi Movement
As for politicians’ role, I see it this way;
- Most politicians stood put and on the fence until they could see the popular sympathy for the CJ that they could cash on.
- PPP and MQM are still on the sideline.
- Nawaz Sharif is making noises but his actions can hardly be considered noble as he himself has not been honurbale to Udlia (to put it mildly) and he has an axe to grind against Musharraf.
- Molivs are making noises and have effectively hijacked the political side of the protest. If history is anything to go by then these Mullahs (in effect B-team Army) will make some formal noises before bringing the matter to an amicable (for Army) close. If however issue gets out of hand and ‘Buray Sahib’ decides that Musharraf has to go then Molvis would be used to support the next general in line.