Adil Najam
This photograph of lawyer leader Aitzaz Ahsan on top of an ambulance putting his hand together and begging for peace and a stop to the needless violence by some who are ‘supposedly’ his supporters, speaks volumes. It speaks volumes about Aitizaz Ahsan; volumes about the culture of anger and violence that has gripped Pakistan, and volumes about the the state of Pakistan politics. A sense of anger and angst continues to define Pakistan.
Read also, Aitizaz Ahsan’s letter to his fellow lawyers, back in December.
Whether the violence is the result of nefarious ‘agency’ designs to discredit the lawyers movement or the disgruntlement of frustrations within the movement, it does not bode well for the country and for democracy in the country. It may serve the short-term interests of some, but it cannot be in the long-term interests of Pakistan.
The pictures (above) of mayhem and violence on the streets of Pakistan are are equally articulate about the state of affairs in Pakistan.
It is admitting of a failure to reason. And if you cannot reason, it is a failure itself.
As I said, here, here, here and here (google it), failure to reason leads to violence.
And the failure to reason happens when those in power, the “gitter-mitter” of Pakistan, do not allow avenues of free expression.
Free expression of ballot box, free expression of jury box, free expression of soap box.
It would be better that Pakistanis show up in these “policy meetings” and let these “policy planner” know, their policies should make sense for the people. Their policies should improve the lot of people. Their polices should be in service of the people.
The people of Pakistan,
It may serve the short-term interests of some, but it cannot be in the long-term interests of Pakistan.
And violence does not even serve short term interests.
It is wrong.
It is admitting of a failure to reason. And if you cannot reason, it is a failure itself.
All i want to say here is that; no doubt what happened was terrible, but a notable mention with regard to it is Aitzaz Ahsan. It is discovered now that the majority over there were NOT lawyers and those who were lawyers were not the ones who harrassed Sher Afgan. Aitzaz himself discovered that, when he reached there and asked the lawyer community to raise their hands which turned out to be a mere 40%.
Now Aitzaz Ahsan is the Supreme Court Bar President, but i do think that doesnt mean he’s responsible for every single lawyer’s act in this country. He’s not the guardian of lawyers nor has he adopted fresh graduates of law. That went for the 40% of people who were there. For the rest 60%, without a shadow of a doubt, he is responsible for them in no way. With that said, he heroicly went there and saved Sher Afgan putting somwhat his life on the line (It was a choas of animalistic people, even someone as respected as him could be turmoiled).
Aitzaz Ahsan should be applauded with all hearts for that.
And which he is by many, but unfortunately, a few immature figures in the scene who like always have been talking trash, did so again in this case, blaming him. Nothing could be more childish and sick given the heroic act he did in this case. But the fact is, what can one expect from an anti-charismatic figure like Pervez Ilahi.
People like him say ‘Aitzaz Ahsan hee ney inn waqeelo itnaa charayaa, ab bhugtoo, ab tum hee zimaadar ho.’ Well what more ridiculously stupid could be said. This is like saying that some man spirited people of the society when evil was prevailing and gave them the courage to stand against it standing united. Now later on in life, if a member of that civil society commits a murder, you will blame that man “Tumney inn logo kaa zameer jagayaa tha jab inpey zulm horaa tha, ab jo bhee ye karey gey aagey jakey uskey zimaadaar tum ho”
well everyone here is condeming the lawyer act.But on that day only lawyers were not there people from civil society were also there. we always condemens but never trying to sort out the solution and never asked about root causes. Its the anger of people and response of a common man to the policies adopted by Mr.Musharaf and its helpers Q league. In the last past eight years is there any relief they given to the common people?
Javed iqbal