Shedding Crocodile Tears over Inflation

The News Tuesday, June 24, 2008
by Aqil Sajjad

The PPP and its supporters argue that the “common man” cares more about inflation than the restoration of the judiciary. They insist that forcing the present government’s hand on the judges’ issue would create political instability, threaten the democratic process and make it difficult for the elected government to resolve the economic issues.

Certainly, a major effort is needed to curb inflation, reduce unemployment and put our country on a sustainable path towards progress. But is the judges’ issue indeed beginning to be a distraction for efforts to solve the country’s economic problems, or is this only a false excuse to make the two issues look mutually exclusive? After all, the PPP supporters did not see inflation as a more urgent issue than the judiciary when the PPP was trying to get political mileage from the lawyers’ movement after March 9 last year and was passionately in favour of the independence of the judiciary.

Honest attempts at addressing any problem need to start from development of a team of competent people who can put together a coherent programme. This programme needs to be included in the party’s manifesto and shared with the public instead of spending all the time on rhetoric centred on personalities and emotional blackmail. A political party needs to do such homework before coming into power so that it can get to work straightaway and have a dedicated team of economists capable of working out the economic problems, regardless of the political situation and irrespective of the lawyers’ movement.

While we regularly hear the retort that inflation is more important for the common man than the judges’ issue, we don’t see the same PPP apologists raise this self-created weakness of the political parties which is a much bigger hurdle in to the solution of the economic and other problems affecting the people than any imaginary difficulties created by the lawyers’ movement.

We seldom see these supporters of the PPP trying to raise the level of the discourse on inflation and other issues relevant to the “common man,” but when the lawyers and the civil society criticise their party for its lack of sincerity regarding the judiciary and decide to continue their movement for the rule of law, they suddenly remember the issue of inflation.

If these apologists, whose lack of seriousness about the economic problems is clear from the fact that they ignore the connection between these problems and corruption, had spent some time trying to understand the issue of inflation, then they would perhaps have recognised this important link. They would have seen an independent judiciary as part of the solution rather than a pointless distraction. And, then, perhaps they would be more interested in siding with the judges who saved billions of rupees of the nation in a single case alone, on the privatisation of the Steel Mills, rather than defending those who need the NRO to escape accountability.

I am not trying to present the judiciary’s restoration as a panacea for all ills that will make all our troubles ranging from inflation to political instability instantly go away. Far from it. The judiciary’s restoration is only one part of the solution, albeit an important one, and a lot more will be needed to address our problems. But what is really disturbing is that some analysts have started falsely presenting the situation as if the judges’ issue is standing in the way of dealing with inflation and the other daily issues affecting the “common man.”

Our economic ills cannot be removed through empty rhetoric. They need honest efforts to address the real reasons. If high oil prices are hurting us, the solutions include reducing our oil consumption by improving public transport and using smaller and more fuel efficient cars instead of flaunting large luxury vehicles that consume too much oil. If housing is unaffordable for a section of our population, the solution is to initiate affordable housing schemes for the people and block quick-buck investors who jack up prices by purchasing land only to sell it at higher rates, instead of being genuinely interested in constructing a real brick and mortar structure. If excessive printing of money is contributing to inflation, part of the solution is to cut wasteful expenditure and reduce corruption, for which restoring the independent judiciary would help, so that the budget deficit does not skyrocket. Since hoarding and market manipulation are compounding the economic problems, the solution is to take action against the guilty.

It is the vested interests of the elite and lack of will on the part of our government, and not the movement for the restoration of the judiciary that stand in the way of such solutions. If some pro-PPP intellectuals are really concerned about inflation and therefore want to place it above the judges’ issue on their priority list, that might also be somewhat understandable since they are entitled to their opinion on how various issues should be prioritised. But, then, they had better be making an honest and sincere effort for raising the level of debate on inflation and discussing possible solutions instead of shedding crocodile tears over it only to defend the PPP through cheap point-scoring against the lawyers’ movement.

The writer is a student in the United States and is affiliated with the Student Action Committees (SAC) of Islamabad and the US. Email: aqil_sajjad@yahoo.ca


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9 responses to “Shedding Crocodile Tears over Inflation”

  1. Nasir Jamal Avatar

    Lets us assume that the judges are restored. What will happen then? Will all problems be solved? Will a common man heave a sigh of relief?

    Nawaz Sharif made it an election issue because he had no other issue at all to talk about. It is not that he has any desire for an independent judiciary.

  2. Aflatoon Avatar
    Aflatoon

    What a shame!!!

    We question the fruit of fair and powerful judiciary, because we love our beloved politicians more than any thing else. We even want to turn blind eyes to the need of fair and powerful justice system because our beloved leaders fear that they may be held accountable for their deeds.

    Ask this question to the families who have their loved ones jailed in hidden torture cells without any court proceedings.

    Ask the family of Judge Nabi Sher Junejo.

    Ask the people of Sindh and Baluchistan. Don’t they see a ray of hope in form of Justice?

    Ask the people who are victims of hoarders.

    Its the corrupt politicians who want to sell the idea to the general public that having fair and powerful judiciary wouldn’t mean any thing

    What a shame, we doubt the fruits of fair and powerful justice system.

  3. Tahseen Alam Khan Avatar
    Tahseen Alam Khan

    If the Judges are not retored then we are destained to get what we are getting. Right now there is no rule of law BLACK MARKTEERS are enjoying the best times of their lives. People do not have any hope of getting justice from the present Courts. Mian Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification is another very delicate example of our judicial menace. Any Country having double law system can not survive for a long period and I think we as a nation have suffered a lot. I am positive that INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO OUR DAILY PROBLEMS. If the Judiciary is not reinstated we will be facing problems like INFLATION, BLACK MARKETING, INHUMAN LOAD SHEDDING, LAW LESSNESS and HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. May ALLAH BLESS PAKISTAN AMIN.

  4. MALIK AMAN Avatar
    MALIK AMAN

    we want independent judicary not a single person named iftikhar then why we r stressing so much on him according to his speech and what he said on tv i think will play a game of revenage instead of justice

  5. Qaiser Munir Avatar
    Qaiser Munir

    Malik sahaib,

    I have only one thing to say independent judiciary is linked with justice iftikhar and his fellows who refuse to take owth under PCO of Mush.

    Can we deny that PCO is implemented to save Mush and his regime.

    NO.

  6. PakSpeaker Avatar

    somebody save our country. Leadership is worsening era by era. so called mushi was so great, like the pre-ppp decisions. Both fainted – and fainting. Illusionist needed or a miracle. Who will save US? US ??? b-shi*. Help My Lord.

  7. Shuja Alam Avatar
    Shuja Alam

    Well said PakSpeaker!

    Hearing the comments form our leaders on why an independent judiciary is less important than roti, kapra, makan, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  8. anas Avatar

    Well, no one doubts the need for independent judiciary. But yeah, many, if not most, have qualms over the current campaigning for ONE MAN ONLY. Iftikhar Chaudhry DID, and I repeat DID, take an oath under PCO, voted in favor of first PCO and the referendum. Why doesn’t that count? If he comes out in public and say that what he did earlier was WRONG (he never admitted that), then I’ll change my opinion. But at this moment, he think he is the only one right here. This isn’t true, time to get over him. He’s not needed, infact he’s the one shedding crocodile tears as well.

    An independent judiciary will be one, who’ll show doors to Sharif for his actions previously, Musharraf for his coup, other judges (including Iftikhar) for his role in ratifying the earlier PCO! Yeah, thats what is needed!

  9. Sher Mohammad Avatar
    Sher Mohammad

    Pakistan needs think taks to provide feedback to the ruling coalition partners. Millitancy can be beat nicely by introducing Sharia gradually in society. Islamic Shariah is soaked with compassion as is evident from God’s attribute in regard to compassion and forgiveness.