Custom Search

Protest is a right…. but NOT like this

Posted on December 7, 2007
Filed Under >Owais Mughal, Photo of the Day
117 Comments
Total Views: 28711

Share

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.

Related Posts with Thumbnails

117 comments posted

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

  1. Eric says:
    February 10th, 2008 1:16 am

    No one, not Musharraf, not police, not army gets up in the morning, looks out of the window and says, it is a nice day to go and beat up some lawyers.

    The lawyers, or some among them throw stones or push the barriers, and get spanked.
    Election is the way to bring about change. If there is rigging, then they will have a reason.To assert before hand that there will be rigging is criminal behavior. The whole world is watching the elections, there are innumerable observers, reporters, etc. VOTES WILL COUNTED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PARTY AGENTS AND A COPY OF THE RESULTS GIVEN TO THEM RIGHT THERE AT THE POLLING BOOTH.
    If the lawyers continue their present agitation politics, they will suffer and so will the nation.

  2. RE says:
    December 13th, 2007 11:16 am

    Today more 6 our Army Jawans dead by Extremists terrorists. Where is the outrage? Where is front page article on this.This is the real threat Pakistan is facing today. This is the real issue for today? Why people are not out on streets protesting against these extremists? Why Lawyers are not out?
    This is the army solders defends us from enemy. There should be a fund established to support their families left behind. There funerals should be shown as the funeral of heroes.
    Allah Bless Pakistan
    Unite for the interest of Pakistan.

  3. Adnan says:
    December 13th, 2007 12:44 am

    AoA: Although in principle you are right that this is not the way to protest but we need to put this in the right context: the police in Multan used all types of brute force including outright torture against the legal community which was previously protesting peacefully and this is what triggered the violence from the lawyers community. Its always easy for the tyrant to use all force and keep lecturing others about peaceful protests.

  4. Social Mistri says:
    December 11th, 2007 11:43 pm

    Junaid Khan sahib, I think you misunderstood me. What I was saying was that all this hullaballoo that has been raised about the “whole country” being on the CJ’s side and Musharraf being isolated is complete hogwash. A few protests do not national opinion reflect. Moreover, I was saying that we as a nation, have a tendency to transform a political gathering or march into a little bit of a freak show… the rock throwing etc. is done for entertainment, seldom to make a point (there is no point, as you will note, in breaking a window of some innocent dukandaar’s shop).

    Lastly, I fully support President Musharraf. Which is why I pointed out that window smashing will not improve our lot, but eyars of 7-8% GDP growth WILL. I had used the Jinnah comment to point out how great leaders of our nation have always understood that mass rallies in an uneducated society mean and reflect very little, specially when they represent .01% of the population.

  5. RE says:
    December 11th, 2007 4:48 pm

    ATP
    Proof of people not understand the nature of the threats Pakistan is facing at international level as of today ? But people are busy protesting against the kind of internal problem which we grew up with.
    Extremism, beheading of army personals from our own people, outside media not telling the true story to the rest of world , but they are more worried about our nukes?
    These are the issues we did not grew up with. I am having hard time understanding educated people of Pakistan who are not protesting on these issues.Not writing on these issues.
    No need for proof of someone destabilizing our nation all you have to see how the things move inside the country and then use your brain.
    Allah bless Pakistan
    Unite for the interest of your nation.

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



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!