Special spaces for protests

The Peshawar High Court’s directions to the city administration to designate a specific space for public protests is likely to go a long way in protecting people from traffic disruptions and road blockages caused by such events. In response to the High Court’s instructions, administration officials have suggested earmarking Jinnah Park for public protests so as not to upset the daily routine of the general public. Considering the frequent traffic jams taking place in all major cities of the country resulting from protests by various segments of society, there is a crying need for allocating specific spaces for protests in urban areas all across the country.

In the recent past, we have seen protests linger for weeks. During the protests, whether for a day or a week or continuing even more, traffic snarl-ups take place on important arteries of cities, and these consequently lead to pressure on alternative routes, making commuting difficult. Ambulances are stuck in traffic jams, and many lives are lost which could have been saved with little consideration for others on the part of protesters. In this situation, students miss exams, physicians and surgeons are delayed in the way and have to skip important surgeries, and office-goers are late for work. The disruption of normal life has grave consequences for the whole society.

Protest is indubitably a right in democracy. This is also part of the right to freedom of expression -- citizens enjoy freedom to put forth their point of view within bounds of the laws of the land and societal norms. Sometimes political parties and pressure groups allegedly attempt to disrupt public life through protests to pressurise the government into accepting their demands. This is unfair. Given the increasing enormity of the problem, we don’t see any reason why all sections of society should not agree on designating special spaces for protests on the line of Speakers’ Corner of London’s Hyde Park. Many countries have such spaces as these ensure smooth flow of life side by side with protests.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2022.

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