An
Empowering Verdict!
By Dilawar Syed
CA
Reinstatement of
the Chief Justice of Pakistan is indeed a victory
for the entire nation. It’s perhaps for
the first time in a generation that ordinary Pakistanis,
led admirably by the lawyer community, mobilized
around a core domestic issue. Without brand name
politicians in lead, they raised their voice and
the movement for the independence of judiciary
took root nationwide. Despite what Maulana Fazl
ur Rahman claimed at the Multi-Party Conference
in London, this was not a struggle for the sake
of an individual – a welcome rarity in our
history. It clearly was for the sanctity of an
institution and the rule of law.
Perhaps most profound is the verdict’s impact
on the psyche of ordinary Pakistanis (or “Mohammad
Dins” as Justice Ramday frequently called
man on the street during the SC proceedings).
In a country where people are denied basic justice,
rules are manipulated daily to ensure that the
mighty prevails, and institutions are systemically
destroyed for individual gains, today’s
verdict goes a long way in restoring confidence
in the system, in the rule of law and, perhaps
most critically, in the vitality of a grassroots
movement. History will see this decision as one
that empowered common citizenry of Pakistan. For
it was at the end of the day, the ordinary Mohammad
Dins who brought about this change – those
who lined up the country’s highways for
hours to receive CJP on his visit to local bar
associations. And those who gave their lives on
May 12th in Karachi and this past week in Islamabad.
This new found vitality in the civic society in
Pakistan must build on the momentum formed. The
SC verdict could not have come on a better day.
Today, the nation is on the verge of a civil war.
Hundreds have been killed in the past week in
suicide bombings through out the country. Let
this be an occasion to forge unity. For Pakistan’s
very existence and integrity is at stake. With
the general elections around the corner (we hope),
there is an opportunity to translate this momentum
into a broader movement for full and unreserved
democracy and a violence-free society.
Today’s events have showed us again that
collective action can change a nation’s
course – people’s resolve on a principled
stance does ultimately prevail. And, yes, even
in an imperfect society like ours. No intelligence
agencies, no forced disappearances, no state-sponsored
thugs killing civilian protestors can deny justice
and victory for the right cause – if the
citizenry has the conviction and self-belief to
lead the way.
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