Karachi: The police’s action against journalists and lawyers in Islamabad on September 29 during the scrutiny of nomination papers of presidential candidates is widely believed to be a show of ruthlessness against political dissent and lack of respect for democratic rights.
It provoked emotional outbursts, resulting in the thrashing of a minister and an important political leader.
Karachi’s journalists took out a rally and observed a black day as part of the countrywide protest against the high-handedness of the government. They demanded action against the police officials of the capital. They said the authorities wasted no time in arresting some lawyers allegedly involved in an attack on the political leader and asked why action was not taken against those policemen who subjected 21 media men to torture.
For many, the police’s action was unexpected. They cited several reasons behind it.
General Pervez Musharraf had overcome major legal challenges as the Supreme Court dismissed petitions against his eligibility to contest presidential polls while the Election Commission (EC) accepted his nomination papers, rejecting the objections of the opposition and lawyer candidates. It was expected that now he would show magnanimity.
As he had promised to get rid of the uniform, he was required to show the people that a new order under the forthcoming civilian president would be different.
The general had said that national reconciliation and political understanding would be his new agenda. With the opposition parties resigning from legislature and jurists and political leaders filing new petitions against the EC’s order, the government was expected to avoid anything, which could compound the existing polarisation.
Furthermore, the lawyers’ frustration and anger was considered to be understandable as they brought the movement for independence of judiciary and rule of law on the streets, drew large crowds rarely seen in the country when they traveled. They popularised the movement for the restoration of the chief justice as thousands joined the procession and demonstrations for several hours when it gained momentum.
Some people lost their lives especially in Karachi. Such demonstrations played a key role in strengthening collective sentiments for the collective cause directed towards the chief justice, who symbolised the people’s aspirations for justice.
But all these impending hopes were dashed as the rulers still continue to see political dissent as a law and order problem which is handled through harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrests. However, the suo moto notice of the judiciary and subsequent suspension of top officials of Islamabad has once again provided hope to the people.
If Shahid Javed Burki is to be believed, the Nawab of Kalabagh introduced the element of violence in Pakistan’s polity in the 60s. Prior to that, there were instances where political dissidents were treated in a different way.
One such instance was of a rally of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in Peshawar. Officials had arranged for sabeels (stalls providing water and beverages) along the route of the rally. Water and sharbat was mixed with a heavy dose of jhamaal ghota (an indigenous laxative) and within minutes, the mob was dispersed.
In a related incident, the presidential candidate Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed visited the Karachi Press Club (KPC) and expressed his solidarity with the media men. He pointed out that around 25 journalists had been killed in last eight years, which is unprecedented in history of the country.
Under the present regime, a large number of journalists have been pressured to resign, charged with sedition, arrested and intimidated. Journalists were barred from reporting the army’s offensive action in Wana and Balochistan and some of them paid a heavy price for it. The extremists, feudal lords, politicians and officials continue to harass journalists and attack newspapers offices.
Given this background, it is not surprising that the Freedom House, in its report on the “State of media in the world”, changed status of Pakistan from ‘partly free’ to ‘not free’. This is because of the increasing harassment of journalists and media outlets by the authorities as well as the recent laws including the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) regulations, putting question mark on the tall claims of the government about its democratic credentials.
It was heartening to note that Justice Rana Bhagwandas who headed nine-member bench of the Supreme Court, which dismissed the petitions against Gen. Pervez Musharraf on ‘technical grounds’ told the students of a private university in Karachi that he responded to call of his conscience by giving his dissenting note. He expressed his concerns about the increasing commercialisation of legal education and the lack of seriousness in this profession.
But there is another issue as reportedly, the legal degree of a prominent law college was not being accepted abroad because of the perceived ‘part-time faculty.’
People also ask why the lawyers have given scant attention to legal ethics, which says that advocates will strive for expeditious and inexpensive justice in the country. One senior jurist said that the legal bodies had never taken this important part of ethics seriously, though the fee of lawyers is going beyond the reach of common man, making task of the provision of justice difficult.
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Source: The News
Date:10/4/2007
