Public rights

THE recent march towards D-Chowk in Islamabad by the main opposition political party, notorious for creating chaos across the country, has raised several questions about the party’s intent and the capacity of the government to handle a law and order situation.
Also, the role of mainstream electronic media once again came under the spotlight. It was not rare to watch journalists provoking party leaders by repeatedly asking them why they did not continue with the procession, and why they did not turn it into a lengthy sit-in. This behaviour by the media was irresponsible.
I did not see any journalist asking the party leaders why they opted to hold a procession at a time when dozens of inter-national guests were present in the city, just a few hundred metres on the other side of D-Chowk. The party and the media keep saying that it is their ‘democratic right’ to hold processions. No, absolutely not.
What about the rights of the people who live in the vicinity of D-Chowk and get cut off from their place of work, or are unable to reach their homes, hospitals and educational institutions? And what about the businesses that get affected? What was the purpose of this ‘final’ procession?
If the stock market is a barometer of the country’s sentiments, the onslaught on Islamabad led to a historic drop in the KSE-100 index, and a few hours after the procession had been called off, the stock market had its biggest jump in history. Everybody needs to let the country grow, and should not push it towards anarchy.
MIAN A. AHMAD
ISLAMABAD