Guest Blog by Urooj Zia
The past few days have been bleak. Not because the issue of the suspended chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) hasn’t been resolved yet. Not because inflation continues to rise in the country, or that new taxes are being imposed, or that the I.I. Chundrigar road has been FUBAR-ed. No. The past few days have been bleak because of this.
First these “students” camped out at a children’s library in Islamabad because their seminary, which, incidentally, was made on (illegally) encroached land, had been destroyed (partially). They demanded that the seminary be rebuilt. But did the government take action against them? No sir! Officials can manhandle the CJP and his wife, they can strip naked a young man during a peaceful protest to search for his missing father, they can baton-charge and injure a bunch of lawyers during a peaceful march, but no one lifts a finger against these armed, danda-weilding seminary “students”.
Please note that I’m using the word “peaceful” time-and-again. A “peaceful” protest or march is when the participants are UNARMED, and aren’t harming anyone or anything.
The seminary students, however, were NOT peaceful. They were ARMED, and therefore, a threat to safety and lives and property. But were they taken to task? Naa-uh!!! The erstwhile minister saheb sent over to “negotiate” with them yielded, and amidst much fanfare, laid the “first brick” himself — the seminary would be rebuilt.
On March 28, these “students” stormed a house in Islamabad, and took a widow captive, along with her daughter, daughter-in-law, and a six-month-old baby. Why? Because, according to the seminary-wallahs, the widow was running a prostitution den from her house.
On March 29, all captives were released after a public “confession” by the alleged brothel-owner.
The police claim that they will “take action” against the students after April 3rd. Yes — give them time to escape, and then say you couldn’t find them. Blah.
My point is:
1) Even if the house WAS a prostitution den, so WHAT?! Pakistan is NOT a welfare state. Everyone therefore has the right to earn a living as they see fit.
2) Moreover, since prostitution IS against the law, it was up to the police to take action — NOT these so-called students. WHAT gave the seminary-wallahs the right to barge into someone’s home?
3) Why were law-enforcement agencies silent? Why was the government silent?
4) Why was everyone else silent? Why is everyone still silent?
Not so much as a *peep* was heard, either from the president, or from “civil society” organizations. Have we really become so apathetic?
Oh, and here’s a REAL gem: “The government is avoiding any action against Laal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa in view of respect for women and mosques.” – President General Pervez Musharraf.
I am angry — nay!
I am OUTRAGED. I PROTEST
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Comments
3 responses to “Whither freedom?!”
well this issues has been debated a lot on different forums, including pakistaniat.com, karachi.metblogs etc. I think , this is a reaction to the lawlessness of the society we are living in. Several residents of that area reported about the alleged brothel to police, but no actions were taken, primarily due to the influence of the owner, which led to this aggressive action. It is more of a reaction to the lawlessness, not the lawlessness itself. If the correct actions were taken by the law enforcing agencies and a proper investigation was conducted for the brothel and persons involved, i don’t think that this incident would take place.
you can see in karachi, and other cities, inhabitants of different residential areas have security guards for their mohallas/towns ,why ?,due to the complete absence of law, since law enforcing agencies turn a deaf ear to the increasing theft and robbery complains, peoples have to take security measures for themselves.
Though the intentions of the aggressors were good, but i neither appreciate their means nor condemn .
Investigation should take place for both parties on equal level (which i fear, will not happen, due to the influence of the alleged owner) and guilty party should be awarded sever penalties.
I generally agree with your article excluding the following part for obvious reasons:
“1) Even if the house WAS a prostitution den, so WHAT?! Pakistan is NOT a welfare state. Everyone therefore has the right to earn a living as they see fit.”
Personally, I would like these students prosecuted by law for taking matters into their own hands. There are always higher-ups whom the students/residents could have complained to, in case the lower ranked police-walas didn’t listen to them.
interesting