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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Here is an Idea Whose Time Has Come

I abhor the euphemism civic society. Find it too elitist. What is wrong with people? Khair, nothing will really change unless people come out. Thus far people have shown a great reluctance to come out in the streets.

Yes, the journalists are being arrested as those lawyers and activists arrested earlier are being released. But sadly, the groundswell of protests is not there.

Anjum Niaz has floated this idea from Madame Justice Nasirah Iqbal:

Justice (r) Nasira Iqbal stands tall once again. Having mobilized her brother judges and activists to give Iftikhar Chaudhry a stunning welcome in Lahore this past June, she is now the convener of Women Action Committee to 'save Pakistan'. Organizing daily indoor meetings at different locations all over Lahore, Justice Iqbal wants to convey their "silent and peaceful protest against the deepening crisis created by imposition of martial law in the garb of emergency by a dictator who wants to install his own cronies through rigged elections in order to perpetuate his own power."

The impressive assembly of women will continue peaceful protests against the imposition of emergency; the unjust removal of upright members of superior judiciary the clamp down on media and the perversion of democracy. "We have resolved to conduct daily prayers and to work for revival of the constitution, restoration of judiciary and rule of law, release of innocent prisoners and holding of free and fair elections under an impartial election commission with access to public by all political parties through free media," says Nasira Iqbal, who perhaps draws her inspiration from her late father-in-law, Allama Iqbal.

"We're giving out black arm bands to as many people as we can till all members of civil society who care can wear them," she continues. "We also request that each citizen stand on the street in front of his/her home, office, shop for five minutes every day with a Pakistan flag in his/her hand between Zuhr and Asr prayers. These individual acts don't constitute an offence and is not hit by Section 144 of the PPC."

[click on the heading to read her column]

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