Saturday, May 05, 2007

The Country's New Hero


In today’s Nation a former judge of the Punjab High Court sums it all up quite succinctly:

An excerpt from 'Catching the fleeting moment’ by Aamer Raza A. Khan

“One may legitimately ask - what has gone wrong. Are we descending to the state in which we find Afghanistan and Iraq? The answer and the causes are obvious. There is a widening chasm between our rulers and the ruled. The former are now not representative of the later, and are not answerable for their doings, nor can the citizens question them, nor do they respond. Look at the plight of the Parliament. Is it the repository of state power and the sovereignty of the State? Is the Government answerable to the Superior Courts?

The case of the missing persons exemplifies it all - those complained against are admittedly beyond the control of the civilian set up, and brazenly defy its authority. The CJP tried to intervene, and is now fighting for his own survival, and that of the judicial system, and does not find solace even amongst his peers. But for the brave fight being put up by the legal fraternity -, things would have all been over by now.

The CJP tread on too many toes, and took on one too many. How dare he question the "transparency" of the privatisation process, how dare he question functionaries about police excesses, how dare he interfere in the conversion of a public park into a Mini Golf Course, and of the Doongi Ground into a IMax Cinema Complex, how dare he put a brake on the despoilation of the Patriata forests, how dare he order the cancellation of allotments to influentials of hundreds of plots in Gwadar, how dare he summon the mighty Secretaries and Inspectors General to appear before his Court, how dare he direct prompt and proper investigation of abductions, rapes, forced marriages, question Jirga verdicts, unseat politicians, muse about examining again the holding of dual office, and contemplate overseeing the forthcoming elections or examine the eligibility of the aspirant for high public office. Such a CJP had to be put in place, and all possibilities nipped in the bud. But what was not factored in, was that the man may resist. And the man caught hold of the fleeting moment and much against all expectations, resisted. The powers that be, were unprepared and confounded, and in panic committed the infamous deeds that boomeranged on them. Their haughtiness and blunders ignited the lawyers protest and their provocative conduct continuously keeps on feeding the flames.

The man who caught the fleeting moment is now, regardless of all accusations, perceived to be a symbol of courage and an upholder of the Constitution, and the rule of law, and rightly so too…”






5 comments:

Anonymous said...

jusAthot:

While CJ-Chuadhry is no CJ-Warren (of U.S. Supreme Court) nevertheless, he has become the nation's hero and icon by virtue of defying the military regime's tyranny, and enjoys the support of the media and large sections of the Pakistani civic society. The current episode of mass protest though set-off by the suspension of the CJP-Chaudhry, is about a lot more than just that. Increasing section of the civil society is getting fed-up with the status quo of Musharraf’s despotic rule. They can see clearly now that all the jargons about "enlightened moderation" and "real democracy” are nothing more than hot air.

Anonymous said...

can someone ask the morons at the Nation to publish their online articles with proper formatting?

the idiots don't even publish an email address

Anonymous said...

I agree with jusAthout....Musharraf's delusion that he and only he could save Pakistan is now in tatters. There is a small chance for real democracy...but it all comes down to who the people will intrust with the role of leading the nation...if its another dictator or NS or BB then i am off to India.

I agree with anonymous most of the english editions of Pakistani newspapers are not even worth reading. :)

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