KARACHI:
Given the volatile situation of the country, these tit-for-tat allegations and acrimonious press briefings and statements are aggravating the situation where laws and writ of state have become hostage to egoistic individuals who consider themselves above law. All political parties must exercise restraint. According to Theodore Roosevelt, “No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it”. A famous saying of Hazrat Ali (RA) is that a system of disbelief can work, but a nation without justice cannot survive. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, individuals with power have violated the law and Constitution for their own purposes.
The very basis for the creation of Pakistan has been mutilated so often that it has almost become a norm and acceptable. Even though the superior judiciary alone has sole jurisdiction of interpreting the Constitution without distorting its basic structure and spirit, politicians and their spokespersons have assumed the power to continuously misinterpret the Constitution to suit their political agendas. Political parties have turned workers and supporters into goons to incite violence against law enforcement agencies and other political parties.
Today, Pakistan is facing economic bankruptcy, yet political stability, which can help curb the economic crisis to an extent is not a priority for our political leaders. A non-bailable arrest warrant requires the concerned individual to surrender to law enforcement without any pre-conditions. Unfortunately, this is not the first we are witnessing a mockery of justice in Pakistan, but the situation has never been as violent as was seen in Lahore recently.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2023.
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