Uncalled for activism of Power Troika (judiciary, mainstream media and money rich opposition) deprives nation of independent judiciary, sovereign parliament, free press

Shafqat Munir

THE debate on social media and mainstream media depicts divergent pictures of what is happening in the country as the mainstream media is controlled and their agenda is set by the current power troika- judiciary, media tycoons/anchors and the money rich opposition (Sharifs and Imran) while the social media is free.  The uncalled for activism of this power troika deprives the nation of independent and impartial judiciary, sovereign parliament, free press and a fully functional democracy.

Both media have equal strength in terms of influencing and targeting as each one has over 20 million consumers. Social media space is open and accessible to all the consumers, irrespective of social, financial and power status, while mainstream media spaces is accessible and in control of only a few hundred selected employees of media houses and agents of those who spend money on them. So, the content on social media duly reflects the real feelings of the people who directly express their views and thoughts over social media while the mainstream media content is reflection of the thoughts and planted and tainted images of a few hundred who control this content.

Controlled media is siding with the power troika while social media is exposing this conspiracy against the people of Pakistan, the parliament, democracy and the superior judiciary of Pakistan which has been reduced from a national judiciary to a judiciary which is hated and loved by almost equal number of people. So, this troika has tarnished the image of national judiciary to a partial judiciary. This is unfortunate for this nation. But good thing is that Social Media is reflecting real sentiments of the people of Pakistan and amplies voices of the unheard people.

Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ), Iftikhar Chaudhry is no more the CJ of Pakistan ethically, though administratively; he is now seen by a vast majority of people as siding with Hamid Khan and Nawaz Sharif Group of companies, which include some Liars (Lawyers) Associations. When movement for restoration of the then deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was on, millions of Pakistanis across parties and associations, common citizens like us were behind him. Now millions belonging to the ruling alliance (who secured more than 50% of the total votes polled in 2008 elections) plus millions of other liberal and democracy and justice loving non partisan citizens and civil society and human rights activists do not side with the Chief Justice rather the CJ and the Supreme Court now gain their strength not from the constitution and the parliaments but from their own decisions as judges of their own causes and from opposition leaders such as Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif and Hamid Khan and ‘Hamnawa’ Liars Associations.

Unfortunately, there is a growing feeling among the non partisan citizens and civil society that these opposition leaders under their own vested political interests and the so-called Liars (lawyers) leaders such as Hamid Khan to get more of their chamber comrades inducted into judiciary made the honourable Chief Justice controversial and impacted the impartiality of the overall institution of judiciary.

Earlier, the Chief Justice was the chief justice of the nation and now unfortunately these vested interest groups who are doing politics behind Supreme Court and who do not have courage to defeat their political rivals on the political front (As Javed Hashmi sahib rightly said that Nawaz Sharif needs a PhD to understand politics of his rival Asif Zardari) have reduced the honourable CJ's status from a national hero to a would-be presidential candidate of Muslim League Nawaz (as many in the country think so referring to the then role of Justice Rafique Tarar). Our vibrant media has also equal share in reducing CJ's image to the level of a media guy who makes headlines for them. Pakistan is the first such country in the world where judges of superior courts are greatly influenced by the media discussions and they like to be quoted in banner headlines of the newspapers and news broadcasts. So, in a way, media in Pakistan seems to have a big role in making superior judiciary controversial.

Moreover, the judgments of the superior courts have recently shown that justice is seen done against one particular set of people while giving relief to another set of similar people from other camp. This fact is also tarnishing image of the judiciary in the eyes of the international community and the people of Pakistan.

Too much one-sided activism shown by judiciary, media and opposition in Pakistan forced upon the people of Pakistan a regime that could not have long last in normal political circumstances due to bad governance and the corrupt elements on key government positions. The current power troika is somewhat directly responsible for providing life to the PPP-led coalition government and by doing selective trial of this ruling elite, they are again creating sympathies for them among the masses as more than 50% people do not like this one-sided activism serving political and vested interests of the troika. It is feared by political analysts that with this one-sided activism, masses may again vote for the current ruling alliance and situation as a result of 2013 elections may not be any different from the current one.

The people of Pakistan fail to understand why media, judiciary and opposition (Nawaz, Imran and Hamid led Liars) are in hurry to send packing the government which was mandated until 2013 elections, charging them for bad governance and corruption cannot be an excuse as same applies to Nawaz Sharif’s own brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif who did not deliver in Punjab; why can not they wait for few more months and why they do not want to give the people of Pakistan a chance to vote the current government out; whey they want to send the Prime Ministers home through court orders setting a new model equal to the infamous 58(2B) and the military take overs of the past, not a constitutional and parliamentary democracy model. Why they do not want to understand that the judiciary in Pakistan has been involved in judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, putting Benazir Bhutto in several trials and sending the PPP prime minister home on the charges of contempt of court, despite the fact that the Prime Minister Gillani was bound to play his constitutional role by protecting the constitution's article 248 which is clear in letter and spirit and which does not need any judicial interpretation being so clear even for common people like us.

Chief Justice or other judges are not super human beings. They are just human being and not "Aqil-e-Qul", so how can they be given a superior role than the elected parliament and their leadership, which has the ability to restore constitutional supremacy in the country and restored 1973's federal democratic constitution and devolved powers to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.

Can we give a person the status of Aqil-e-Qul when he is not and he has proved biased and one-sided?. They have provided relief to Sharifs and Imrans in all petitions they filed and did not hear even the point of view of the ruling party. It would have been better if the Prime Minister Gillani was sent home through constitutional and parliamentary process and not through forced court orders on the charges of contempt of court which itself is a grey area. It would have been better if the Prime Minister was convicted for massive corruption and then the parliamentary procedure should have been adopted to send him home.

If you think that this is justice and you are serving the nation, then you all are mistaken as history will write a different chapter and would taint and paint it as a judicial coup or Partial Law like Martial Law. Those supporting such judicial activism are not true friends of the Supreme Court rather they are the friends of Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan and Hamid Khan groups as they are making the judiciary controversial among the people.

"MOHABBAT GOLIOON SEY BO RAHAY HO- WATAN KA CHEHRA LAHU SEY DHO RAHAY HO

TUMHAIN GUMANN HAI KEH RASTA KAT RAHA HAI- MUJHAAY YAQEEN HAI KEH RASTA KO RAHA HO."

(You are sowing love from the bullets/uncalled for activism and painting the face of the country with blood, meaning creating hatred and controversial feelings.-

You have an abstract thinking that you progressing ahead on right track, but I am certain that you are loosing the destiny and destination)

For God sake, leave politics aside, let the country go on democratic path, do not snatch our right to vote this government out in 2013 elections, if they are corrupt and have not delivered to the nation, let the nation decide their fate and you cannot decide on behalf of the nation as the nation have not elected you for this role. The elected representative of the people have appointed you.

What would the current power troika- judiciary, media and opposition do if there is no democratic government and any dictator takes over; Would they enjoy this "mather pidar azadi" under dictatorship, which they are enjoying now only in a democracy.

PLEASE, LET THE NATION DECIDE AND THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD REVERT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL ROLE AND TASK OF REFORMING JUDICIARY IN THE COUNTRY FROM LOWER TO TOP LEVEL WHERE CORRUPTION IS MASSIVE AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EVERY DAY IN THE COURTS HAVE TO SUFFER DUE TO THE DELAYED OR NO JUSTICE IN MAJORITY OF THE CASES WHERE MONEY MATTERS. PUT YOUR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER AND LET THE POLITICAL DECISIONS BE DONE BY THE POLITICAL BODIES IN THE COUNTRY, THE PARLIAMENT, POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN.