Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Hooliganism at IHC
The State exists to protect and secure for the people their basic constitutional rights and for that it creates three pillars, each working within their confined constitutional framework to serve citizens. One such pillar is an independent judiciary which is tasked to protect legal rights of individuals, while the other two are parliament and executive.
The attack on Islamabad High Court by unruly men and women wearing black coats is an attack on the very independence of the judiciary. If the CJ of Islamabad High Court can be harassed and abused and judges forced to seek refuge from hooligans, then this essential constitutional requirement of independence stands compromised.
The lawyers are there to represent the people and have no other role except to defend litigants who secure their services to protect their legal rights. If the lawyers themselves get involved in irregularities such as construction on amenity plots or land which does not belong to them, then they are guilty of criminal offences and must be dealt with in accordance with laws and not through compromising of law. Crime nourishes, states collapse and mafias thrive when laws become hostage to whims of a few.
The IHC judges and all others have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution and must work strictly within their jurisdiction to interpret laws in existence. The courts cannot become hostage to the dictates of lawyer’s representatives, nor Bar Associations elected by them. If lawyers are not willing to submit to law, then citizens must be given the right to represent themselves before judges.
Unfortunately, in Pakistan, a country created through constitutional political struggle, the power of the people and their right to choose those who may exercise the power to govern, in accordance with laws and constitution was usurped by a few and ever since that, this country has suffered abuse from within and outside.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Organisms are algorithms
It is believed that homo-sapiens took the hold of world’s power through two of their astonishing abilities:1) Ability of telling myths; and 2) ability of cooperation in a large group of almost unknown people. The above listed abilities gave them a cutting edge over their much mightier brain carrying ancestral cousins: Neanderthals and Chimpanzees. Homo sapiens subsequently left the African Savannah and entered the vast lands of Eurasia, wreaking havoc on the native species—an anthropological and a historical account. The humans in the past were confronted with three main problems (i) war, (ii) Famine and (iii) Plague. The problems beleaguered the homo-sapiens in the shear claws of equilibrium. Wars alone perished almost half of the world’s population from the slate of history. Wars, in the past, were mainly fought on religious acrimonies such as the First, second and third Crusade, Battle of Mountains etc., though modern wars that is WW1 and WW2 were fought on the rupture in the pre-requisite BoP for maintenance of peace. Famines were the second most dangerous threat for the survival of our ancestors. Communication barriers gave impetus to their harsh effects.
Worst famines of France (1694) killed 2.8million people followed by the perishing of the 5th of Estonians population in the following year (1695). Similar havoc was also wreaked on Finland and Scotland in the following years to the French and Estonian famines. Great Leap Forward (1958) and the worst famine of India (1964-65) due to the monsoon failures also sent many to the netherworld. Plagues such as the Black Death (14th century), Smallpox Virus (16th century), Tuberculosis (18th century) and the Spanish Flu (20th century) caused the death of millions of people across the globe. However, they were confined to one particular place due to the communication barriers among different parts of the world.
MUHAMMAD TAYYAB
Rawalpindi
Out-of-school children
Out-of-school children is an unresolved problem that Pakistan faces for decades. Reports indicate that around 23m children are out-of-school today having various serious problems remaining unsolved. Unfortunately, legislators, whose very role is to look into issues like this, are busy blaming each other. The number of 23m would have been reduced if authorities concerned had woken up earlier. The big misfortune of our system is that even after publishing of various reports, Government is neither taking the issue on a serious note nor they are willing to curb the issue on an urgent basis.
One of the basic reasons behind growing number is child labour. There is a far-reaching gap between legislation and implementation. Bills against Child labour have passed several times but with zero implementation on the ground. It is very much important to launch campaigns especially for parents so that they may understand the situation before using force as it will suppress them and their children might move to not take part in this at all costs. Campaigns and incentives for them is a good idea to capture their attention. There are thousands of parents who mostly rely on their little children to earn. There are many things to discuss here but first and foremost is the attention of authorities concerned.
F A SHAH
Lahore
