Injustices Galore

Sir, Numerous countries have suffered internal unrest and even disintegrated when powerful groups, including those affiliated with the state, get involved in institutionalized corruption, land grabbing, profiteering, extra judicial killings and citizens missing without judicial process. It is precisely for this reason that they say “It Is Not the Business of The Government to Do Business” and this includes commercial ventures by state institutions funded by the exchequer to perform their constitutional functions. A state must perform the role of an adjudicator, regulator and protector of the rights of its citizens, including their right to dissent. It should never be seen as an abettor of criminals involved in land grabbing or facilitating criminals. Unfortunately, we have witnessed powerful individuals, such as Musharraf aiding and abetting criminals affiliated with Altaf Hussain making kidnapping for ransom an industry, because of political exigencies. A state that cannot protect its forests, public amenity plots from illegal takeover by land mafia is a state on the verge of chaos and unrest from within. The manner in which Kidney Hill was allowed to be taken over by criminals in Karachi was shameful. Recently social media showed video clips of thousands of acres of land belonging to poor Harris of Sindh being forcibly occupied in the presence of police and armed guards during Holy month of Ramadan Kareem. We can understand such forcible occupation of land belonging to Palestinians who have lived there for centuries by Zionist’s occupation force. Thousands of citizens of Pakistan who have paid all installments for plots in DHA Valley Islamabad have been waiting for over a decade to get justice. Such injustices perpetrated with tacit complicity of state institutions whose hesitation to protect citizens does not bode well for the country, because it weakens the bonds of trust and credibility between the state and citizens.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore