Daily Times

The latest to fall victim to a vestige of colonial rule in vogue for more than 150 years is PTI chairman Imran Khan, who, on Sunday, called off his election rally in the wake of the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore. An ambiguous statement has similarly surfaced from the chief minister’s quarters that denies any restriction on political rallies despite putting its weight behind a one-day ban. If the caretaker setup is as impartial as it claims, what on God’s green earth can explain these repeated attempts to throw spanner in the works of just one political party? The horrors of last Wednesday when a brutal crackdown against yet another campaign snatched the life out of a highly-spirited political worker are still etched fresh in everyone’s minds. It would have been far too reasonable for the administration to let the affected party grieve as they wished or at least wait for the blood stains to dry before turbocharging on the same sinister path.

It goes without saying that anyone and everyone who manages to reach the red carpet love to dabble in restricting the right to protest and the right to assembly as and when the situation gives a discomforting whiff. That the executive cannot be allowed the leeway to twist section 144 as a cord around the necks of our fundamental liberties should have been made clear at the very onset of independence. If the ominous threat of terrorism warrants a cautious approach, these legislations should be in play all across the country. How is it that the city appears free from danger when it hosts a once-a-year ground-breaking cricket tournament or reluctantly agrees to accept the thumping feet of passionate women on its streets but all hell threatens to break loose the minute ONE political entity unrolls plans to make its presence felt? The caretaker setup better dot its i’s and cross its t’s as fast as it can because gone are the days when sealed lips and squeezed-shut eyes could help them get away. *