The Justice Or The General?
One Has To GoBy Aziz Narejo
22 March, 2007
Countercurrents.org
The present judicial crisis in Pakistan is deeper than it looks at the surface. The recent actions, interviews and speeches by the military dictator betray his inability to read the situation correctly. The dictator, the military regime and their collaborators think that the present entanglement would soon ease away and they would have their sway over the country again. They don't realize that a sea of change has occurred since the general's coup against the Chief Justice on March 9.
They also don't understand that the country has been under repression for long and that there has been a great mass of pent-up feelings and emotions that needed to be let out. The storm has been brewing since many years. Common men and women, media, judiciary, lawyers' community, political activists and other sections of society have had enough of the tyranny and despotism.
The people are fed up with the dictatorial and authoritarian rule. The unprecedented Lawyers' solidarity and their spirited and forceful protests, resignations of judges, the outcry in media and public condemnation of the government actions should not be taken lightly.
The situation in the country today is close to a revolt.
The uncommon and extraordinary courage of the Chief Justice has greatly inspired the people. They now want a CHANGE. They want the power back to the people and end to the military dictatorships and martial laws in the country. They want an independent judiciary, a free press, true democracy, rule of law, and respect for the Constitution. The situation just can't roll back to pre 9 March conditions. It can't - even if the general reverses his unscrupulous action or if he ALLOWS the Supreme Judicial Council to reinstate the Chief Justice.
The situation won't change if Justice Bhagwandas is allowed to RESURFACE and take over the apex court. That is not the issue here. The people just won't accept any judge to replace Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. And the present regime won't breathe easy if Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry returns to his job. One of the two has to go. That is certain.
The sensible way out for the military regime would be to give up its stranglehold on the country. An impartial set up should hold free and fair elections. That will avoid more unrest, civil strife, bloodshed, pain and may be an unforeseen disaster.Aziz Narejo is the President of Sindhi Association of North America (SANA)
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