Sadia Khan
UNDERSTANDING as to where our na
tion is heading is indeed an exhausting
task. Economic, political, social crisis at one hand while provoked or un-provoked, needless to say totally unexplainable and utterly avoidable incidents which stain humanity at other further complicates the scenario.
Recent event involving a mob of lawyers marching on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) ransacking the property, causing havoc in the wards, harassing the patients and their families depicted a horrendous scenario. This is apparent in a live feed put up by one of the marchers in suit proudly walking down the road to PIC shouting “here we come doctors!” ,holding up the camera to provide view of the mob consisting of young lawyers in coat ready to lynch. The young lawyer conceitedly carries on making the video in which he clearly is threatening the doctors saying “today there will be a bypass! today you will get your stent! Look at the size of our force” waving the camera while smiling broadly in a joyful mood.
Apparently this all was a reaction on behalf of the young lawyers to another incident which took place a few days back. Lawyers got into a dispute with the doctors at the hospital the matter escalated however no resolution was found by the authorities. As the days passed the affair seemed to have cooled down till a video emerged of a doctor narrating the incident with the lawyers in a mocking fashion, seasoning his words with a verse of a poem which seemed to have set the ball rolling. Enraged the young lawyers took on the streets in a disgraced manner.
The incident is truly sickening, both parties lawyers as well as the young doctors who were involved in the event behaved irresponsibly. One can only be astonished by the inhuman act of the individuals belonging to such a noble professions. There certainly are no words to describe lawyers’ rampage. Calling the young lawyers involved in the whole episode as immature would be impractical, children are immature. This mob comprising of grown-ups knew its objective in the PIC which they proudly announced in a video available on the media. Same goes for the doctors who intensified the delicate situation by provoking the lawyers through video. What good did any of the parties achieve out of this feud?
While the incident took place the patients under treatment died at PIC. Debates may take place in the following days and views’ might vary upon the cause of death of the patients however there is no denial that the rampage is indeed responsible to have caused the panic which forced the hospital staff to abandon the patients and flee towards safety while the patients lay helpless at the mercy of the mob. Whether lives could or could not have been saved if the situation would have been otherwise is of course a question which may be raised in the following days.
It is clear that the incident was avoidable. The authorities should have resolved the dispute, lawyers should have protested peacefully than taking the law in their hands. It is evident that the incident was driven by pure ego which led to unleashing the rage in a hideous manner and ended up without obtaining an end but devastating the innocent citizens. The act of lawyers is entirely condemnable. This brings disgrace to the honoured profession and stains collective humanity. Different views have emerged as to what drove the lawyers to extremes few politicians have even tried to politicize the incident. Rather than politicizing the event evident strict action must be taken against those responsible. Effective measures must be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. Revival of the ethics in every intuition is crucial before the stain on humanity becomes permanent.
—The writer is a Media practioner based in Islamabad.
