Residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are once again facing disruption as several protest marches are planned over coming days. For common man, such political activity is no longer merely a matter of headlines. It directly affects their daily lives, particularly employees travelling to offices, students attending colleges and universities and businesses trying to keep their activities running. Repeated closures of roads and markets inevitably add to public frustration and economic losses.
The authorities, meanwhile, have announced extensive security measures, including the installation of containers at important entry points and particularly around the Red Zone. Given sensitivity of the area, ensuring law & order and protecting important state institutions indeed is the responsibility of administration. The concerns expressed by business community also deserve serious attention. Traders and other businesses cannot repeatedly afford to suspend their activities. The economy, already facing considerable pressures, needs continuity rather than further interruptions. We have repeatedly stated in these columns that there should be a designated place for protests and political gatherings where political parties can exercise their constitutional rights without bringing the routine life of the capital and its adjoining city to a standstill. Such an arrangement would protect both the right to peaceful assembly and the rights of those who are not part of protests.
Political parties, too, need to demonstrate maturity by rising above confrontation and intransigence. Long marches may attract attention yet they cannot substitute for meaningful political engagement. Differences are an inherent part of democratic politics, but their resolution ultimately requires dialogue and negotiation. Government and political parties should therefore work towards a mechanism that allows peaceful protest while ensuring that daily lives of millions remain undisturbed.
