Persecuted people
THE hate spread is fast and furious. A spate of attacks on minority settlements and worship places came complete with the usual allegations of blasphemy and denial of the right to practise beliefs freely.
From the arson attack in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala area that targeted the Christian community, leaving charred homes, churches and defaced graveyards to the broken arches of an Ahmadi worship place in Lahore and encroachment of gurdwaras and surrounding lands, all lay bare the ineptitude of administrative forces.
Once again, law enforcers failed to fathom the urgency of frenzied circumstances; either controlling faith-based mob fury is not their forte or there is a criminal lack of will to arbitrate. Whatever the reason, the all too frequent collapse of the police machinery is beginning to reek of complicity.
But what makes matters even more frightening is Friday’s shocker: the apex court was taken aback when it learnt of an alleged ‘monitoring agreement’ between the Sargodha DC and a far right organisation, which says that Christian-dominated areas will be monitored for blasphemous content.
Clearly, when the past is left unsettled in the form of Joseph colony, the routine persecution of Ahmadis and desecration of religious spaces, it sets the agenda for future attacks. Therefore, regardless of whether the alleged collusion exists or not, the mere notion of such a possibility threatens to aggravate vigilantism, taking it from its sporadic present to an organised, endorsed prospect.
In a climate of worsening militancy, elements that support violence and bigotry should be overpowered, not appeased with ‘agreements’. These menacing assaults strike at the vitals of society, leaving no choice to the victims but to flee or wait for their turn.
It’s time officialdom moved to thwart the weaponisation of laws to settle personal scores, perpetrate loot and plunder and usurp land as is evident in abandoned Ahmadi and Jaranwala homes.
Moreover, any policing activity that impinges on the right to life, liberty, property and worship sanctions an obscurantism-driven majoritarian culture that will turn Pakistan into an outcast in a multicultural region.
Finally, Sikhs, a community overtly supported by the state, are also scathed in this scenario, indicating that failed state policies can spawn narratives focused on hurting any ‘errant’ threshold. Hence, as we mark the 75th death anniversary of the Quaid tomorrow, Pakistan is a sad reflection of his ideals.
Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023
Lack of clarity
THE chaos and confusion within the ranks of those hoping for the Constitution to be upheld has weakened their hand. Consider the PTI, which has recently demanded that President Arif Alvi exercise his constitutional power and announce a date for the general elections forthwith.
According to a press release, the party’s core committee passed a unanimous resolution to this effect during a recent meeting. Interestingly, there was no mention of who actually attended the meeting or where it was held.
With most of the party’s senior leadership currently in prison or on the lam, the PTI is trying to put up a brave face. However, it clearly is in no position to be making demands.
Then there is the PPP, which seems rather confused about its commitment to constitutional principles. Just days ago, the party’s central executive committee said it would push the Election Commission — legally, if need be — to ensure elections were held within the stipulated time frame.
Publicly, however, top PPP leaders have seemed a lot more flexible on election dates. It is, therefore, unsurprising that many believe the party’s sudden remembrance of democratic values is little more than a bargaining chip.
Meanwhile, the legal fraternity, too, has entered the fray. But while the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Pakistan Bar Council both seem to be in agreement that elections must not be delayed, they stand divided on other matters. The former recently hosted the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention to put forth the legal community’s demands from a single platform, but the PBC chose not to attend.
President Alvi stands at the centre of the crisis, but he, too, seems to be having second thoughts after a tentative attempt to assert his position. With the pressure building on him to announce a date, rumours have been circulating that a recent visit from two high-profile officers might be the reason why he has been keeping a low profile.
Whatever the separate challenges being faced by each of these stakeholders, they need to demonstrate some unity of purpose if they are truly committed to upholding the Constitution. There are some in this country who view the law as an inconvenience in the way of their grand plans.
Much damage has already been done thus far because the resistance to their unlawful actions has been weak and unorganised. Now, the only hope for those who wish to see the constitutional order restored is to refocus their energies on the core demand — free and fair elections within 90 days.
The ongoing assault on the Constitution must be resisted if the nation is to continue hoping for a democratic future. It may yet be an attainable goal. The mistake made in allowing the KP and Punjab elections to be delayed must not be repeated.
Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023
Increasing oil margins
THE Economic Coordination Committee has hiked the per litre commission margins of petroleum dealers and oil marketing companies by Rs1.64 and Rs1.87, respectively, on their petrol and diesel sales. The margins for both petroleum dealers and the OMCs will be increased incrementally in four equal fortnightly instalments from Sept 15. With the fresh increase, the dealers’ margins will go up to Rs8.64 from the existing Rs7, while OMCs will see them increase to Rs7.87 from the present Rs6. The commitment to raise the dealers’ and OMCs’ margins in four steps from Sept 1 was given by the previous PDM coalition government in July after dealers threatened to shut down pumps and stop sales. But it did not notify the increase. Both the OMCs and dealers have been demanding 100pc increase in their profit margins on the sale of petroleum products for several months to ‘ensure the survival’ of the industry. The dealers’ margin on petrol and HSD used to be Rs4.90 and Rs4.13 per litre until mid-July last year, but has since been raised to Rs7. Likewise, the OMCs’ margin was later hiked from Rs3.68 per litre to Rs6 in phases.
The increase in margins will definitely put more financial burden on consumers at a time when domestic oil prices are being raised since Aug 1 to pass on to them the impact of rising global oil prices and the precarious exchange rate. But it was important to mitigate the stress on the dealers and OMCs considering the continued surge in the prices of utilities, interest rates, and labour costs that have more than doubled in the last one year. The 30pc reduction in their sales due to the unabated smuggling of cheaper Iranian oil in large quantities has also been eroding their sales revenues and profits. While escalating inflation remains a major worry, it needs to be dealt with by fixing the economic fundamentals rather than straining one industry or sector.
Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023