Imran Talib's Pti: ''Undemocratic way to protest''

On Tuesday the PTI and JI workersm for the third consecutive daym checked the documents of trucks near Hayatabad Tool Plaza in Peshawar to make sure that vehicles carrying Nato supplies did not continue their journey onward to Afghanistan. It boggles the mind that the political parties and their provincial government professing belief in the concepts of democratically elected government, strict observance of law and remaining within the parameters set by the Constitution in their activities have chosen the path of physically defying the federal government; especially, when there are chances that terrorists and criminals may join the workers and create violent situations which could get totally out of hand.

It is beside the point whether there is wisdom in stopping Nato supplies through Pakistan. The point of reference for the PTI and JI policymakers in this matter should have been whether it is within the bonds of the Constitution for private citizens or a provincial government to obstruct vehicles travelling under an international agreement signed by the Federal government of the country. The above mentioned action by the workers of the two parties is unconstitutional. It infringes upon the authority of the federal government and touches the fringes of rebellion against the Federation of Pakistan. No matter what one thinks or says regarding what is good or bad for the federation, one cannot act in defiance of the expressed will of the federal government: such actions challenges the sovereign rights of the state which the state exercises only though the central government. In very plan words when the Taliban carry out acts of terror against Pakistan's armed forces or civilians, they are in open rebellion against the state and defying its sovereignty; when the US drones strike in Pak territory or when Nato trucks are stopped by PTI and JI workers, both the US government and the parties' workers stand in defiance of the sovereign state of Pakistan; the difference is not qualitative, rather of degrees. Besides, getting crowds of civilians involved in such acts as whom to allow the right of way is vigilantism and can lead to further deterioration in the already worse law and order situation in the country. Vigilantism was okay in the Wild West of America of the eighteenth century. It was then correct for citizens to form hunting parties and go after criminals. The residents of these far and flung towns and cities of the New World had to decide who could enter and reside their towns and who was to be banished because there were no lawmen for hundreds of miles around. After the writ of government was established all over the United States of America, vigilantism became a crime there. Civilians accept the authority of the state by surrendering some of their inalienable rights; the citizens have the right to disagree with the policies of their governments, object to some actions and laws as not beneficial and they also have the right to change the situation through peaceful and democratic means, but they, citizens, have no right to stop, physically, the implementation of any policy or the enforcement of any law.

There are reasons why even government departments are not allowed to overstep their jurisdictions: for example a cop, whose job description is to go after criminals, is prohibited from enforcing law in the jurisdiction of a police station where he or she is not posted. If such prohibitions are not in place, the country will fall into utter confusion. The reason for which civilians are prohibited doing tasks assigned to government servants or its agents is also to avoid anarchy and confusion in the country. The PTI and JI workers, most of them young men, have come out and are stopping Nato trucks because they don't know better.

But are the senior leaders of the party so unsophisticated that they don't understand the long-term consequences of promoting such vigilantism among its workers which ultimately can greatly harm the nation or, is it that the prospects of personal and party gains have so overwhelmed these leaders that they have lost sight of national interests? The workers are not to be blamed. They are doing, out of a deep sense of patriotism, what they are told to do by the party leaders. While their emotions have to be appreciated, their methods cannot be condoned. The Most people have made up their minds about JI but this streak of extremism in the PTI leaders of doing what is right in their mind; regardless; of the illegality of their actions or of the consequences is frightening and unfortunate. The PTI had captured the hearts and minds of millions of Pakistanis as a party which was very much for providing social, economic and legal justice to the people and against corruption and other illegalities. However, it was also the perception that the party also stood for achieving these goals within the limits of the law. By such actions as allowing its workers to stop Nato vehicles in violation of the international agreement signed by the Federal Government of Pakistan, this perception regarding PTI as a moderate party is changing. It is hoped the PTI leadership will revisit the decision regarding its methods.