Protest is a right…. but NOT like this

Posted on December 7, 2007
Filed Under >> Owais Mughal, Picture of the day
117 Comments
Total Views: 12675

Owais Mughal

This photo is from today’s Dawn. It shows protesting lawyers damaging public property in Multan.

The ability to protest against that which they consider unjust is everybody’s right. But there is a fine line between peaceful protest and anarchy. Damaging property is definitely wrong and serves no one’s interest. It certainly does not serve the interest of the lawyers movement for democracy.

Violence is clearly wrong. It becomes no less or no more wrong when it is committed by protesting lawyers than when it is done by government against the same protesting lawyers. Just as we have called out against violence committed against protesters by government agencies, we must also call out aginst violence committed by them.

Anger is neither a strategy nor an excuse. The principle is a clear one: Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it and no matter why.

117 comments posted

Comment Pages: « 15 [14] 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 51 »

  1. December 11th, 2007 3:03 pm

    All readers are requested to desist from using ATP as a forum for rumor-mongering and slander. While some nominal element of speculation can be part of analysis, wide-scale and repeated planting of slander, hearsay, unsubstantiated labels (for the purpose of questioning someone’s, particularly commentor’s, integrity) and rumors without any evidence is despicable and will not be allowed.

    Please help us in not moderating out your comments by not abusing our comments policy.

  2. RE says:
    December 11th, 2007 2:39 pm

    These lawyers hardly make day to day living.Going to jail not at work for months can be tough for one.Not to forget people who are running around courts for years they are coming from long distances and then no lawyers there.
    If Lawyers are protesting without anyone’s influence I am all for that.

    Allah Bless Pakistan
    Unite for the interest of Pakistan.

  3. Anmool says:
    December 11th, 2007 2:02 pm

    Riaz2’s question: “who is funding these lawyers?” strikes me as either a silly question or a malicious one.

    Why does one need to be funded to speak out for one’s rights and demanding freedom and democracy (even though I think these particular guys are doing the wrong thing by being violent).

    If his question is fair, then, I guess it is also fair to ask him and others who ask this here, “WHO IS FUNDING YOU TO WRITE AGAINST THESE LAWYERS AND WRITE AGAINST THOSE DEMANDING FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY FOR PAKISTAN?”

  4. Riaz2 says:
    December 11th, 2007 1:58 pm

    who is funding these lawyers?

  5. December 11th, 2007 1:19 pm

    That has been a major problem with us as a nation. We have yet to find that middle-ground path for constant struggle. Either we are too violent, like in the picture, or dead-silent. Anything other then a careful, measured process adopted by the masses will be counter-productive.

  6. omar says:
    December 10th, 2007 11:45 am

    I agree with mistri sahib. By putting this picture on the blog, you are opening yourself to the suspicion that you support the armed gang now running pakistan. First of all, the police is not even a legitimate organization at this time. In the absence of the constitution and rule of law, it is just another armed gang. If they come and beat up lawyers, the lawyers have no way to go to court or go to the police. …obviously they have to defend themselves physically.

  7. Junaid says:
    December 10th, 2007 11:21 am

    What happened in multan was the best thing.police deserve some of their own medicine.lawyers have always staged a peaceful movement but they r always beaten up pretty badly by the police.it was the right thing to do un der the circumstances.the establishment must be given a dose of its own medicne.

  8. December 10th, 2007 2:38 am

    I will disagree with you mistri for i think you are taking Owais out of context. He never said that the whole struggle is wrong or that protesting against Mr Musharaff is wrong. The only point he made was that violence is not justified in what ever form it is.
    This is one school of thouught and may be i personally dont agree with him but i should not bias my judgement based on my personal thinking. You all hate Musharaff and speak on different blogs and different platforms against the violence that the regime is committing but now you says that if the group of lawyers have the power to response, they should do that. If you are justifying violence for the mere fact that they have the ability then it means all the brutual acts of government are also justified as they also have the means to do this. Moreover, you are also justifying what the Talibans or Fazlullah are doing in Swat and FATA for they also have the ability to respond to government acts.
    I think thats not how you respond to things and i think that was the only reason our sympathies were with the lawyers for they were on the right side and using right means for it. If they also start acting like the forces in power, then whats the difference between them.
    No hard feeling here for its just my opinion and i am also against the current government but i dont agree on the means to reach our common objective.
    Regards,
    M J K
    http://thelandofpure.blogspot.com/

    pS: I know people dont like being diagreed with and thats why the previous two comments came down so harsh on Mistri and discredited all his previous stances. Its pretty disappointing that we all act the same when we have the ability and power to do same. We dont tolerate opinions that dont agree with us and star insulting so how come you expect the people in power to tolerate it. Seems there is no much difference in those passing personal remarks on Owais to that of the person who is in power these days and doing the same with everyone of us.

Comment Pages: « 15 [14] 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 51 »


Have Your Say (Bol, magar piyar say)

Please respect the ATP Comment Policy.

Keep comments on topic; no personal attacks; don't submit indecent, inflammatory, slanderous, uncivil or irrelevant comments; flamers and trolls are not welcome; inappropriate comments will be removed or edited.

If you won't say it to someone's face, then don't say it here!

Readers who want to use a URL should please use the TINY URL program.

Thanks, and keep the comments coming!