Pakistan was created by a constitutional battle waged by men like Quaid-i-Azam, Allama Iqbal, Fazal ul Haq, etc. Yet for almost four decades Pakistan was ruled by men whose sole legitimacy flowed from a military uniform. This country has either seen military rule or rule by a jungle law. There never has been even one sincere government that worked to create a great nation. We have allowed religious extremists and sectarian warlords to create pockets of power in the name of security or strategy, not realizing that such malice will breed bigger demons, which would threaten the very state. In such an environment a bigger, well equipped group calling itself ‘TTP’ emerged, taking control over large areas of what constitutes territory of Pakistan. Yet the tragedy is that those who have been entrusted public offices of importance, lack intellectual capacity and foresight to re-evaluate their follies and consequences of their myopic vision.
Even today we witness tendency of some that majesty of law be humbled to satisfy misplaced ego of few. If the constitution of Pakistan, its laws are not supreme and their interpretation by superior judiciary through its verdict are to be challenged, then God forbid, future of this nation as a sovereign independent country is liable to be jeopardized. We have seen mighty Soviet Union, collapse, crumble and disintegrate, in spite of its massive military power and yet we fail to learn any lessons. Our religion teaches us that countries cannot exist where justice and equality are not adopted as state policy, yet we fail to reform. Musharraf has been charged by an elected federal government to face charges of treason, and any attempt not to allow the law to take its course, will have disastrous consequences for this country.
MALIK TARIQ ALI,
Lahore, January 7.