Muneer Malik Calls for
the Supremacy of Law in Pakistan
By Ras H. Siddiqui
Mr.
Muneer Malik addresses the Independence Day gathering
in San Francisco |
The President of the Pakistan
Supreme Court Bar Association Muneer Malik was recently in
the San Francisco Bay Area. During this brief visit he took
the time to visit his Alma Mata, Santa Clara University, and
availed the opportunity to address several thousand Pakistani-Americans
in front of the Civic Center in San Francisco who were celebrating
Pakistan’s 60th Independence Day anniversary.
Mr. Malik was on the rebound, from his role in a historic
lawyer’s movement to precipitate the reversal of the
sacking of Pakistan Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Ahmed
Chaudhry. Indulging in some rest and relaxation and meeting
some old friends in northern California, Mr. Malik who recently
shot to fame by reviving the words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz “Hum
Dekhain Gey” (We shall See) to the level of a national
slogan, was able to communicate his views on an emerging “New
Pakistan” which will hold the law supreme. Muneer spent
some time in jail under the regime of General Ziaul Haq, fighting
for the democratic rights of Pakistanis.
Whether one agrees with him or not, it becomes somewhat necessary
to write on his visit here because he also shares a stint
at San Jose State University with many prominent members of
our local community. Keeping that in mind, presented below
are some of his comments to several thousand Pakistanis in
San Francisco on August 19, 2007.
Thanking community members, Muneer Malik expressed his happiness
at participating in Pakistan’s 60th Independence Anniversary
in San Francisco. He said that by all means, we should celebrate
our independence day, but we should also make this a day of
reflection. He asked that we look back on Pakistan ’s
last 60 years and see how independent we really are. He said
that Pakistan during the last 60 years has predominantly had
Military Rule.
The Pakistani people, according to Muneer, had not understood
the concept of justice in its entirety till lately. He said
that the Pakistan of the past 60 years belonged to the feudals,
military and bureaucracy and other vested interests. He said
that a people-dominated New Pakistan had recently been born
and that he had high hopes from it.
Mr.
Muneer Malik with friends at the San Francisco City
Hall |
Reflecting back on the
recent Chief Justice’s refusal to resign and the lawyers
movement that has started in Pakistan since March of this
year, Mr. Malik said that this movement has spelled out to
the people of Pakistan what justice really means. He said
that the movement has explained to Pakistanis that the rights
of all people (especially women) are important, as are the
protection of all national assets. He added that the protection
of both should reign supreme. Above all, he said, that the
movement has shown the people of Pakistan who is really qualified
to dispense justice to them.
He also spoke of “missing persons” in Pakistan,
who need to be located. He said that most of them are secular
nationalists and not religious extremists (especially those
from Sindh and Baluchistan). He said that the family members
of these people need help. He said that when we talk of the
New Pakistan, we are talking about changing hearts and minds,
since we have neither guns nor cannons. He added that true
power lies with the people, and that democratic rule, however
problematic, can evolve into a better tomorrow (just like
it has done here in the United States with race issues). We
have to eliminate VIP culture in Pakistan. We have to let
the law prevail.
Muneer Malik’s speech did generate some controversy
amongst the Pakistani-Americans present. But since Pakistan
Link is a forum which is open to all segments of our community,
it was considered important to report on his visit. There
are basic value-systems reflected in his thoughts which are
difficult to refute.
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