Last week the Punjab Police went on a murderous spree in Model Town Lahore. They indulged in unprovoked and reckless violence, firing live bullets on unarmed political workers. At least ten people died in this unprovoked firing by the Punjab Police after clashes erupted between the Police and workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, PAT, a political party led by Canada based Pakistani cleric Dr Tahir ul Qadri. About 80 people were also reported injured in this incident. The violence followed attempts by the Police to remove barricades outside Dr Qadris house, which also serves as the office of Minhaj ul Quran.
The fight started when members of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) tried to stop police from removing barriers outside their leaders house in Model Town Colony and party secretariat. Police baton-charged and shelled the demonstrators for not letting them do their job. Many of the protesters were also arrested for creating trouble.
As usual the provincial Law Minister said the Punjab government will carry out a judicial inquiry into the incident and those found guilty of unlawful actions will be punished. Responding to the use of force against his party workers, Dr Qadri said he protests police brutality against the peaceful demonstrators. He further accused the government of using this issue to divert attention from the ongoing operation in North Waziristan. While speaking to media, Qadri said the police action was unjustified as the barriers were placed on governments order many years ago.
This latest incident was the last thing Pakistan needed. The country has been reeling under different threats. It couldnt have come at a worst time when the Pakistan Army is involved in a major operation in North Waziristan against TTP and its affiliates. At a time when Pakistan needs political stability, this incident has created a political turmoil with the opposition accusing the ruling PML-N of brazenly using violence against unarmed political workers. Irrespective of ones political affiliations, no sensible person can deny the fact that the administration and the police handled this incident very shabbily and unleashed unnecessary violence.
It must be noted here that the ruling PML-N has a two thirds majority in the Punjab Assembly. It is the sixth year running that this party has been holding power and hence the politicization of Punjab Police is its natural corollary. This tragic incident uncovered the deep rot in Punjab Police and Pakistani political system, which the present ruling party PML-N has tried to cover under some glitzy infrastructure projects.
This incident comes a few days before the arrival of Dr Tahir ul Qadri in Pakistan on Monday, 23 rd June, to lead an anti-government alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and other political allies. His arrival, which was announced earlier this month has played out as an open challenge to the PML-N led government. The Govt has already shown its frustration and seems to be hell bent on mishandling this situation. It has imposed sec 144 in Rawalpindi prohibiting the gathering of more than four persons at one place and blocked all routes to and from Islamabad Airport.
One can have genuine reservations about Dr Qadris politics but in a country which calls itself a democracy, a political leader cannot be stopped from putting his political views across, neither can he be stopped from mobilizing his supporters to demand accountability and changes to the political system, as long as those activities are carried out peacefully. Dr Qadris arrival in Pakistan couldnt have come at a worse time given the volatile situation in North Waziristan, but what adds to the woes of Pakistan is its impatient political leadership which is not able to handle this precarious situation maturely and deftly.
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