Let us be clear, the law was violated in both letter and spirit on the night of August 30 and the days following. The laws that were broken were those of any civilised state or society, but what pushed people to breaking them were the conditions of a society steeped in barbarism and anger. There is no question that in Pakistan for too long has the law been subject to political considerations and applied unevenly; so much so that it has turned into a tool of oppression against minorities and women, the poor and disaffected. The question the protests asked, and that Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan manipulated for personal gain, was how far does parliament represent the will of the people? Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) President Javed Hashmi gave a succinct answer to a joint session of parliament yesterday: “Our political history shows nothing for us to hold our heads up high about...parliament has failed to solve people’s problems,” leaving citizens angry and open to manipulation by demagogues. Parliament failed to correct systemic injustices and this is mostly a failure of the political class. Do we as a nation aim to be governed by law or by mobs and force of arms? That Khan and Qadri were unable to manufacture a popular mass movement to bring down not only the government but the parliamentary system of governance answered that question, but not wholly. Parliament stands, the government stands, and they should, but they must change.
Despite the damage done on Saturday night, there is an opportunity here for the government to begin taking the long road towards the rule of law. Economists are busy toting up the costs, in terms of damage to public property and the virtual standstill the country was brought to, as well as the damage to its international credibility and the confidence of investors and partners in Pakistan’s future. Where one year ago the world saw a return to democratic stability, today even India expressed concern at the seeming inability of the government to enforce the law and manage the writ of the state. Who is responsible for this cost? It is important here to draw a distinction between Khan and Qadri, and the protestors who charged the gates on Saturday night. Their intentions as stated to their followers and to the government were diametrically opposed. One way or another, they were lying to somebody. They assured the government in writing that the protests would remain peaceful and would not move towards the buildings and symbols of the state that it has a responsibility to protect. To their followers they showed coffins and thundered about bringing down the government and the democratic system. Eventually they chose to disregard their word to the government and it responded in the only way possible. The attack on parliament and the subsequent violence of their highly charged followers proved they had no intention of remaining peaceful. They aimed to portray parliament as a symbol of oppression, but it is in fact a symbol of the people’s will, even when said will is invisible. Who else but the people of Pakistan were harmed by the events of August 30, including the police (of whom 150 were injured), the military, and the average citizen? The government on Monday lodged an FIR against Qadri and Khan for, among other things, terrorism and inciting violence, but is so far unable to act on it for political reasons, with the two surrounded by their followers and the government constantly looking over its shoulder fearfully at Rawalpindi. It is time to end this sordid affair and begin enforcing the law irrespective of political considerations and street power. It will be difficult, but the right path has never been easy.
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