IN the recent PTI-staged dharna, Pakistan has suffered immensely. Lives were lost—whether they were PTI activists or members of law enforcement, they were Pakistanis. The economy also suffered, and the country came to a standstill. Pakistan’s international reputation has deteriorated, and, as desired by our known adversaries, it is now considered unsafe for the much-needed foreign investment.
The trend of staging dharnas in the Red Zone of Islamabad, our federal capital, began in 2014, when the then establishment facilitated PTI and Canadian-based Tahir-ul-Qadri to hold a 126-day siege. This was a grave instance of political engineering that damaged Pakistan’s standing internationally. The Red Zone is home to diplomatic missions, making such disruptions even more detrimental. Since 2014, extremist religious parties and groups have staged similar dharnas in Islamabad, with the TLP’s 2017 protest serving as a notable example.
Nowhere else in the world have such violent protests been allowed to occur so frequently in their Federal capitals. The Judiciary has failed to protect the collective national interest and the economy by allowing these protests to occur in Islamabad, with conditions that they should be peaceful etc. They know that these protests have never been peaceful. Political parties also need to understand that once the mob has been instigated, exploiting religion, with slogans of Aljihad etc violence has always occurred.
We have witnessed what happened on 9 May 2023, when a Black Day was announced by the sitting government to protest Islamabad High Court’s decision against the political leader of PTI. These protests occurred simultaneously all across Pakistan, targeting sensitive military installations and PAF bases etc. There is no doubt that this was a planned activity, as violent protestors simulated attacks on sensitive installations across the country. Can anyone imagine similar protests being allowed near the Pentagon or military and Air Force bases in the United States or any other European country? This must come to an end.
While peaceful protest is a fundamental right of groups and political parties, it is not absolute. This right cannot override the fundamental right of citizens living in Islamabad, who are confined to their houses. All state and private business are shut down for extended periods of time. Mob violence has always occurred, either by design or by mob instinct, whenever these protests have occurred.
The political leaders are responsible when they incite mobs to stage protests at sensitive places. This right to lodge protest by a group of people, can be exercised in other cities, at specially designated places, with prior permission of district, or city administration, ensuring that normal civic life is not disturbed. It is an unfortunate fact that protests lodged either by PTI or religious extremists like TLP have always been violent, causing immense loss in terms of human lives and the economy.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
