Running from reality

The countrywide rallies and sit-ins by lawyers on Thursday indicate that despite attempts to divide the legal community, the lawyers demanding the restoration of the deposed judges remain a force that the government can ill afford to underrate. Instead of burying its head like the proverbial ostrich in the sand, it has to realise the gravity of the situation it faces. Only shortsighted people would regard the violation of accords by Mr Zardari as a successful tactic. It has not only damaged his image but also resulted in the break-up of the alliance between the PPP and the PML(N), which has added further to the political uncertainty in the country. This in turn has started to generate more negative pressures on the economy, partly reflected in the share market index. While Balochistan continues to be restive, with attacks on security personnel and government installations continuing as before, military operations have been initiated in a third FATA Agency now. With 300,000 displaced persons already waiting for proper care and attention, many more are likely to join them in case clashes in South Waziristan continue.

There is a need under the circumstances for the government to urgently revise its stand on the restoration of the deposed judges. Unless it does so it is likely to have another crisis at its doorsteps. The simmering unrest over rising prices and unemployment, widespread anger over power outages, and the burning desire in civil society for an independent judiciary could combine to give birth to a movement that the government would find difficult to deal with.