Ashamed to Be a Member of APPNA
By Dr Bakhtiar Ahmad
General and Vascular Surgeon
Ex-Secretary General of KE Medical College Student Union
Banning, California
The sweet breeze of the newborn democracy is blowing across Pakistan and the dictator is on the retreat. This wholesome change was possible because of the marathon struggle and sacrifices given by Pakistani lawyers, media and civil society.
Pakistani lawyers have launched an unprecedented yearlong movement, a spectacularly rare phenomenon in the history of Pakistan. They were beaten, tortured, poisoned, and offered huge monetary sums to call off their movement for an independent judiciary and democracy in the country, but they did not bow down to a ruthless dictator. But compare these brave Pakistani lawyers to the members of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA), a self-proclaimed most democratic institution of Pakistani origin. These so-called, self-proclaimed champions of democracy never wasted a chance of a photo session with this dictator or others in the Pakistan government. But these doctors, the so-called democrats, never issued even an official statement of protest against the dictator's actions of imposing unconstitutional emergency measures, sacking of independent judges, torture and jailing of thousands of lawyers and Pakistanis engaged in the struggle to bring democracy to Pakistan.
These doctors are ultra rich compared to the poor Pakistani lawyers and they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get elected for the leadership of their organization.
One should feel proud of being a lawyer in Pakistan, and ashamed of being a member of an organization like APPNA that failed to participate in this struggle for democracy. They could sit in posh and luxurious hotels, having a good time when Pakistan was going through its most painful period in 2007. I am sure they are already planning to invite or visit the new Prime Minister of Pakistan for a photo session.
I am ashamed of being a member of such an organization and hereby resign from its membership.
