LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said in a statement the army being asked to adjudicate upon matters that should have been resolved by politicians made for an “exceeding gloomy day for the country”. The Commission sees it what the marchers were seeking all along as they had refused to be amenable to efforts and observations from the executive, judiciary and parliament.

The statement says: “There should be no two views about the fact the day when political discord needs adjudication from the military is an exceeding gloomy day for Pakistan. It is unfortunate that day is upon us now. This is exactly what the civil and all pro-democracy forces feared and cautioned against.

“Developments in the last few days prove the democratic transition that had been prematurely celebrated is a long way off yet. We had hoped against hope the politicians would live up to their commitments and avert being pushed towards the precipice.“The closing of ranks among the politicians to protect democracy and the constitution from this latest ambush has been the most pleasant outcome of the circus going on in Islamabad. It has also done the country a service by bringing together under one umbrella all the actors who will stop at nothing to give the so-called umpire yet another chance to intervene.

“There is no doubt any longer about who played the dirty part in this sordid affair. Notwithstanding all the mistakes that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif might have committed and his inept handling of the situation, it seems more clear than ever that Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri — who rejected efforts and observations from the executive, judiciary and parliament, including PTI’s own coalition partners in a provincial government — had come to Islamabad with the solitary objective to do all they could to invite a role from the military. Nawaz Sharif is now being painted as having given them that pleasure.

“HRCP joins civil society and all pro-democracy elements in mourning this sad development. It must at the same time make it clear that the army’s role must end with the closure of this most unsavory chapter in Pakistan’s history and normal functioning of the elected government resumed. The government must continue to strive to end the stand-off while avoiding the use of force against participants of the sit-ins as long as they remain peaceful. The parliament must continue efforts to ensure that the expression of the will of the people is protected and not squandered in the face of threats and abuse by people with questionable agendas. Calculating the damage done by this condemnable trap to ensnare democratic dispensation is the unpleasant task that the civil society should now contend with.”

Published in Dawn, August 31th, 2014