SOME arrests have been made and the police are carrying out raids to nab others in the case relating to dastardly attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). Judicial process against those who made mockery of the law has hardly begun but there are indications as well as attempts aimed at providing face saving to the attackers and if this happens it would send a highly negative signal to the people of Pakistan as selective justice is rightly considered to be injustice.
It is regrettable that instead of allowing the law to take its own course, the lawyers have approached the Lahore High Court for quashing of FIRs against those involved in attack on PIC and release of the culprits. The court has directed the provincial law officer to furnish record of cases and details of arrested lawyers. A judge of the high court represented feelings of the people by observing that it seemed law of jungle is prevailing in the country as lawyers attacked the PIC, adding that no society could exist long under law of jungle. He also asked petitioners’ lawyer as to how lawyers dared storm a hospital and what would be their reaction if there was an attack on the offices of Bar Council. However, the suggestion that lawyers should seek apology publicly is an indication that aggressors could go scot-free after tendering regrets. A crime of grave nature has occurred and there are clear provisions of law to deal with such situations and any exception or leniency would not set a good example of administration of justice. Who will be responsible for death of innocent patients, agonies of others and damage to the public property? No doubt, there is a close linkage between the Bench and the Bar but this should not prevent dispensation of justice in an impartial manner. The Government also erred by not acting timely to prevent the tragedy from happening but it can make amends for its lapse by thoroughly investigating the incident, apprehending all those who committed the crime and bringing them to book. In fact, PIC attack has become a test case for our judicial system and hopefully it would not disappoint people.
