Just a day or two ahead of the scheduled presentation of constitutional amendment package in the parliament and the address of President Asif Ali Zardari, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shareef addressed a press conference in Islamabad on 25 March 2010 and stunned everybody. He said that consensus on procedure for appointment of judges in superior judiciary could not be achieved with the government and hence the constitutional amendment bill will delayed for its presentation in the parliament. He also suggested that Chief Justice of The Supreme Court may be consulted for the proposed amendment. He said that issue of renaming of NorthWesternFrontierProvince is also to be decided as yet.
This has created a stir in the political circles. Many doubts / questions are being raised about the real intentions of PML-N. Will the Pakistani nation ever hear the long awaited good news of repealing the notorious 17th amendment introduced by ex president General Pervez Musharaf in the constitution? The new suggestions put forward by Nawaz Shareef have become controversial even in legal fraternity, not to talk of the political parties. It seems as if the onus of resolving the issue has been placed on Nawaz Shareef instead of the ruling party PPP led by Mr. Asif Ali Zardari. We hope that all the stake-holders will learn lessons from the past and settle this crucial matter within days (not even weeks) so that the nation resumes its journey towards its objectives of true democracy and rule of law.
World Consumer Rights Day was celebrated through out the world on 15 March 10 including Pakistan. This time Helpline Trust led by its founding trustee Mr. A Hamid Maker took the initiative and organized “ Putting the Consumer First Award” in collaboration with Consumer Protection Council. The effort is commendable and has been appreciated by all.
Consumers in any country are the backbone of economy. They are the largest stakeholders of society. Whereas in developed countries a lot is being done for the protection of consumers but unfortunately in Pakistan this aspect has been neglected over a long period of time. For this the successive governments of the past and civil society organizations are to be blamed equally. The consumer in Pakistan is neither aware of his rights and powers nor is he organized tohave some influence on the forces of market.. As a result consumers are the most affected people who can just raise hue and cry but can’t do anything. Pakistan is primarily a consumer society because the industrial and manufacturing base is still in developing stage. For this reason they are a lucrative target market for the profit-making organizations, both domestic as well as abroad. Due to lack of awareness, our consumers are constantly subjected to different forms of exploitation, ranging from price-hike, hoarding, black marketing and unrealistic advertisement. The prize schemes attached to consumer goods and services are another form of psychological exploitation.
In the modern times when all segments of society are endeavoring to secure their rights, why the consumers should remain neglected? The markets of today operate on the principle of demand and supply. If the consumers are organized, they can exercise effective restraint on the purchase of goods and services and thus can prove to be a formidable force against the exploiters. The most effective weapon in the hands of consumers is an organized boycott of concerned items. This can be miraculous. We are reminded of the first bird flu rumor in Pakistan that kept the consumers away from buying poultry items and brought down the price of poultry meat from Rs.70 per KG to Rs.20 per KG within days! Although it was forced boycott prompted by health concern but the lesson learntis that it can do wonders. If the consumers are organized and are properly guided to act in a positive manner, most of the ills like over charging, unreasonable price-hike, hoarding / black marketing, unethical cartels and monopolies in the business will be effectively curtailed. The consumers subjected to ruthless advertising campaigns and prize schemes, will regain their right of choosing the appropriate item. If the consumers insist on good standards, reasonable prices, after-sale services and warrantees etc, nobody will be able to exploit them. As democracy takes its routes in Pakistan, we look forward to a better and secure future for our consumers also.
On the eve of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2010, two significant events took place in Pakistan. One, a bill for the protection of working women at the work places against their harassment was signed by the President Mr Asif Ali Zardari. This was a remarkable achievement which was badly needed since decades. One can hope that the law will be implemented in its true letter and spirit.
In the second event a women named Mai Jori stood as a candidate for provincial assembly seat in Jaffarabad ( Balochistan) during the bye- elections. Mai Jori is a poor peasant with no political or feudal background. She was supported by hundreds of her own community members, the peasants and the laborers. Her opponents included the candidate of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and an independent candidate. Both are also the powerful feudal lords and tribal chieftains of their clans. As expected Mai Jori could not make it to the assembly but in the process has left a signpost for others to follow. She mustered the courage to stand up against chieftains of the area where even to speak in front of the local lord is considered a big crime. Such a step by a commoner is conceived as a revolt against the tyrannical tribal system.
All the human rights organizations, the media and civil society as a whole have paid rich tributes to Mai Jori for her courage. This has been made possible because of the silent revolution which has created significant awareness in the masses. People of Pakistan have now realized the importance of independentjudiciary and media. The initiative taken by Mai Jori can be viewed as first drop of rain. We expect many more such events in Pakistan in future. The winds of change have started blowing and the day is not very far when the down trodden segments of society, including the women, will stop looking towards others for the leadership. They will rather unite and create the leadership from within themselves. That will be the beginning of actual democracy, which will empower the common people including the women.
Reportedly a campaign is in the offing to malign the superior judiciary for taking so-called unconstitutional initiatives and to portray it as the enemy of democracy. The way the issue of appointment of judges in superior judiciary has been resolved mutually by the prime minister and the chief justice is probably not been taken well by the elements who always want to see this country in crisis. The conspiracy may include creating embarrassing situations for Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry through miscreants and rallies in favor of President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari.
One may wonder what the judiciary has done wrong to the President or the government. As far as NRO is concerned, it was a document which even the parliamentarians considered shameful to discuss in the House. Supreme Court has just ruled what the constitution says and what the people of Pakistan expect in terms of equality for everyone before the law. Actually people at the helm of affair in this country can never tolerate an independent judiciary. Such a judiciary is always a big threat and hurdle to their misdeeds and nefarious designs. The fact is that a silent revolution has taken place in the country after the lawyer’s movement in 2007 that culminated in reinstatement of judiciary on 16 March 2008. People are not in a mood to revive the old judiciary that used to give decisions base on the”theory of necessity”. Any confrontation with judiciary and attempt to undermine its authority will now result in embarrassment for the government.
It is high time that we, as a nation, decide whether we want rule of law in the country or just politics for the sake of politics. A person who grabs power at gun point considers himself to be ‘absolute wisdom’ and above the law. A person who comes to power through vote, thinks that he is not to be questioned by anyone except the voters, that too after five years of his term in the office. And if people again vote him into power, he feels absolved from all criminal and immoral acts. It is very simple for a politician to stand in front of a crowd, deliver an emotional speech and get a “vote of support” from the audience against the so-called “false and politically motivated allegations“on him. Political acumen enabling the general public to reject the corrupt and inefficient politicians through the power of vote (i.e accountability through vote) will take sometime to mature. Till that time people of Pakistan will surely keep their support intact for the independent judiciary to uphold the rule of law.
