5) Peaceful and lawful protests are a democratic right. Without a democracy — this same one they detest — Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri would not be allowed to voice their dissent. We should celebrate the right to assembly and peaceful protest. That is what sets apart democracies from dictatorships. However, incitement to violence, attacking and trespassing into government buildings, holding PTV hostage and disobeying Supreme Court (SC) orders are not democratic rights.
As is the case in any civilised country, protests must take place with the permission of the authorities and within the framework of the law. We watched in horror as Imran Khan said he would personally strangle police officers who laid hands on his party workers and were equally shocked when Dr Tahirul Qadri called on his followers to kill each member of the Sharif family if anything happened to him. Such statements advocating anarchy are reprehensible and can even be criminal. It is alarming that protestors have taken the law into their own hands. Furthermore, the protestors are in clear violation of SC orders to clear the red zone, not bring infants and weapons into the area or desecrate property. They have also gone against their written agreements with the government.
6) “Unverifiable” thumbprints due to ink quality do not make a vote “bogus”. Pakistanis risked their lives on May 11, 2013, simply to cast their votes. In historic numbers they defied the Taliban and fulfilled their responsibility to their country. Many lives were sacrificed for democracy. Still, Pakistan saw the largest voter turnout in its history. We should not let such sacrifices go in vain. The fact that 50 to 60 percent of the votes may not be verifiable by thumbprint because of the quality of ink used does not mean they are bogus votes. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has already differentiated bogus votes from votes on which thumbprints are not verifiable but otherwise valid.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that the pre-poll environment was hostile to certain parties and that there was no level playing field for candidates to even campaign. Candidates from the ANP, MQM and PPP were routinely targeted. Yet, in the national interest of the country, they have accepted the results. The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) reported on four areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were women were being turned away from voting. Have we ever heard Imran Khan or Dr Tahirul Qadri speak out about these violent and obvious forms of rigging?
7) Civil disobedience hurts the state of Pakistan. The campaign for civil disobedience was not taken seriously by any of the other political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). It is reported that Imran Khan himself paid his utilities bills, violating his own call for civil disobedience. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s minister for local government and rural development, Inayatullah Khan, said the province would not be practicing civil disobedience as it would be “tantamount to treason” if practiced by a government institution. The call was overwhelmingly rejected by businessmen and traders throughout Pakistan. Hurting Pakistan’s economy at such a critical time is not helpful nor is it patriotic. Already Pakistan has had one thousand billion rupees in losses due to these dharnas (sit-ins).
8) Neither Imran Khan nor Dr Tahirul Qadri have offered real solutions. What exactly will Dr Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan do to relieve poverty? We simply do not know. Chanting slogans is very different from delivering on the ground. It is no longer enough for Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri to appeal to the masses by stating what is wrong with others. It is time to provide real solutions and show real results. Imran Khan has the perfect opportunity to implement his ideas in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to show he can make things work. Pildat’s latest survey shows a 37 percent positive rating for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister whereas Punjab saw a high 66 percent positive rating for its chief minister. Rather than the streets, this is where the competition should be.
9) Pakistan is facing many crises that deserve attention. Hundreds of people have died in the past couple of weeks of monsoon flooding. Pakistan’s army is fighting a critical war against terrorism in North Waziristan that affects the security of the entire region. Many are calling Operation Zarb-e-Azb a battle for the “existence of Pakistan”. Whereas one million people failed to show up to the azaadi (freedom) and inqilab (revolution) marches, the number of IDPs has reached a record one million. The other political parties have urged the nation to pay attention to the IDPs and not be divided at such a critical time. Some crucial economic and defence deals with the Chinese president were to help Pakistan move along in its economic recovery. That too was stalled because of the dharnas. Repeatedly bringing Pakistan to the brink of instability also does not help the common man.
10) Power vacuums aid extremism. It is alarming that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has threatened to make its way into Pakistan. When we do away with the laws of the land, we are left with anarchy. Much of the Muslim world is in chaos right now. Already Pakistan’s minorities, women and children are under attack from various extremist groups. A power vacuum would put the entire country into more danger. Political turmoil has given rise to extremist groups such as ISIS by allowing them the space necessary to commit atrocities not only against the state but also its most vulnerable citizens. As if the threats from the Pakistani Taliban, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, al Ahrar and al Qaeda were not enough, ISIS has declared its plans for making Pakistan and Afghanistan a part of its ‘caliphate’.
Strengthening Pakistan’s institutions, government and its democracy would act as a fortress against terrorism and make it harder for Pakistan’s enemies to threaten its stability and economic standing in the world. We need to take a good look at current events around the world to know how much worse things can be when there is political unrest in a country already under attack by terrorists.
Is this the future we want for Pakistan?
(Concluded)
The writer is a freelance journalist and blogger for The Huffington Post. She has a BA in English and Psychology from Rutgers and can be followed on Twitter @ meriamsabih