POLITICS in Pakistan may have generally been murky, but the opposition leader in jail has taken it to the next level by introducing the politics of anarchy and mayhem. The man resisted arrest when he converted his Zaman Park residence in Lahore into a fort protected by his followers, and now seems to be doing it again from behind the bars.

I am a witness to the hooliganism of the protesters whose sole aim was clearly to get their leader out of prison. While passing through Attock, the violent mob attacked the residential area of Punjab Police and looted personal belongings of the policemen, including petty stuff like blankets.

While in Islamabad, they set fire to police checkposts, damaged public property, and even attacked the National Press Club and offices of various media houses before looting the equipment there.

As a student of politics, I strongly condemn such violent tactics that often turn into a malicious propaganda targeting state institutions. If one is found guilty of a crime, be it moral or financial, one has to face legal proceedings. It is as simple as that.

In fact, there is no justification for disrupting the lives of law-abiding tax-payers, and the livelihood of daily wage earners. Indeed, they are the ones who suffer in the end.

Unfortunately, life in the twin cities has been miserable for long due to road blockades whenever there is anarchy

in the name of a political protest. Who is responsible for this misery? This must come to an end once and for all.

Rana M. Umer Siddique
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2024