Love’s labour lost?

Ali Al-Hakim

There is no shortage of martyrs in Pakistan. Some have died in their struggle to defend their faith, others have died to uphold their values, and still others have rather unceremoniously passed away in their battle with poverty and hunger. The souls of these martyrs have filled Pakistan’s short but turbulent and eventful history. While such sorts of martyrs are familiar across the region and in the Muslim world, but we recently witnessed a new breed of martyrs, who unambiguously offered their lives to defend the sanctity of constitution, rule of law, and the independence of judiciary. All of these martyrs, whether we agree or disagree with their respective causes are however products of love. However those who died on May 18^th and other occasions in their fight for democracy are, if we may call, ‘martyrs of justice’.

The unprecedentedly successful social and political struggle mounted by lawyers clad in black suits was a clear sign of the need of justice as a pre-condition for the survival and stability of Pakistan. Despite the brutal violence that was meted out to peaceful demonstrators, lawyers, students, members of the labour unions, all and sundry pressed ahead to demand for justice. It felt that every lawyer has transformed himself into a modern day al-Hallaj, chanting the humble plea for justice.

The unending and ceaseless ambition of politically savvy Army top-brass had corrosively destroyed the political and civil institutional edifice of this country, disallowing Pakistan to become a progressive homeland for its citizens. Now a new government that has come into being in the wake of an arguably clean election should put the questions of justice at the forefront of its agenda for the country.

This means that the people of Giligt-Baltistan are today waiting to see if this virtuous circle of the struggle for justice will also engulf them. They are wondering if it doesn’t cover them now: when will it. Like love, justice is indiscriminate. The voice of justice is universal, encompassing everything in its way. Justice doesn’t recognise any social, ethnic, regional, or linguistic boundaries. Justice is there to rise above the conspiracies of day-to-day politics, and selfish interests.

The people of Giligit-Baltistan are bewilderingly awaiting the torch of justice to light their land as well. They are waiting for the rain of justice to pour on their politically barren land. Will Qamar Zaman Kaira who himself has, personal sacrifices to count, will deliver what is just for the people of Northern Areas, or lose the labour of love that has catapulted him into this position of power.