PAKISTAN is known as peaceful, responsible and democratic country but unrest created by violent protesters when Pakistan’s security forces martyred by violent protesters in capital of Pakistan. And very next day spokesperson of US department of state Mathew miller came out with his statement ‘In Pakistan and around the world, we support freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. We call on protesters to demonstrate peacefully and refrain from violence, and at the same time, we call on Pakistani authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to ensure respect for Pakistan’s laws and constitution, as they work to maintain law and order.’ That was an extra ordinary statement by any high level official.
Authorities in Pakistan opted constitutional path to deploy Pakistan armed forces under article 245 of the constitution, steps were taken to respect law and constitution to maintain law and order to safeguard human rights and fundamental freedoms. But authorities failed to analyze the gravity of the situation and couldn’t figure it out that hospitals in federal capital were also among the sensitive installations and there is provision in article 245 of the constitution, control of sensitive installations can be handed over to Pakistan Army under the directions of federal government. On 26, 2024, there was mismanagement by the civilian administrations of Polyclinic, CDA and PIMS hospitals.
And regarding wounded/injured data, delaying tactics by the federal capital hospitals’ administrations (CDA, PIMS and polyclinic) to issue their official statements not only hurt the integrity of government, state and Pakistan Armed forces but it also incited the blame game. Under article 245 of the constitution, hospitals’ administrative matters should have been handed over to Pakistan Army to ensure transparency in the system. It is none but hospitals’ administrations’ poor management and delayed response to queries related to casualties helped the agenda of enemy to defame Pakistan, it was all due to delayed response based on inaccurate and incomplete understanding of the situation on the part of civilian administrations of the hospitals in federal capital.
In order to bring accountability authorities should have appointed serving military officials as hospitals’ chiefs and also prompt inquiry should have initiated to fix the responsibility over mismanagement by the hospitals’ chiefs and their administrative teams in the federal capital. It is very sad that no such step was taken by the authorities.
Pakistan is democratic country, every citizen is allowed to exercise the right of free speech and action peacefully. Authorities need to learn a lesson from this sad incident. And in future in such situations, federal government authorities must issue their directions with clarity to implement article 245 of the constitution while deploying serving Pakistan Army officials in hospitals in federal capital to take over administrative control to ensure transparency in the system to save Pakistan from such awkward position in international community.
—The writer is a medical doctor and fitness geek and passionate about public health and human rights.
