Resistance of masses could only check the growing incidents of state-sponsored lawlessness against citizens, said speakers of a protest demonstration held outside Karachi Press Club on Tuesday.
On the occasion, a joint statement was released which said that the Sahiwal tragedy and similar other incidents are the proof of growing lawlessness in law enforcing institutions, who are killing the innocent citizens in the garb of terrorists. It is also proved that all the state institutions including judiciary have failed to give protection to citizens. It is sad that the elected representatives are trying to hush up these sensitive issues. This anti-human attitude is adopted by the provincial and federal ministers of sitting PTI governments over the Sahiwal tragedy. They are trying to save the culprits of this tragedy.
The continuity of such incidents has once again proved that the state, instead of providing safety of life to citizens, is playing with their lives. To stop this maltreatment, the masses have to start an organized struggle; otherwise, these incidents would not only continue unabated but also intensify.
The rulers, like past traditions, would have declared the culprits of the Sahiwal incidents as heroes and termed the victims as terrorists, had the citizens not resorted to protest. It is sad that despite this protest, the police first lodged the FIR against the victims themselves. Later, after public pressure they lodged FIR against ‘unknown’ culprits. The government also rejected the public demand to set up a judicial commission and instead ordered forming a JIT, which shows that the sitting government is not serious to take the killers to the task, lamented the protestors.
Whole country is sad over the Sahiwal tragedy and masses are very angry and charged. However, the illegal activities and extrajudicial killings by the law enforcers are yet to be stopped. Previous day, another such incident was occurred in Karachi when a couple was injured in police firing. In Karachi last year a citizen Naqeebullah Mahsud was killed by a so-called police encounter specialist, Rao Anwar, after being dubbed as terrorist. However, action against Rao Anwar is yet to take place and this killer of innocent citizens is roaming freely. Similarly, an innocent child, Amal, was also killed in a fake police action and illegal use of weapons. Such incidents are occurring continually in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KpK and innocent people are being targeted by law enforcers and many lives have already wasted in such incidents. However, no punishment could be given to the officials involved in these murders; instead they were given all sorts of protection and their acts were termed in the best national interest. It is a sad fact that the institution formed to provide safety of life and property to citizens are themselves spreading terror in the country.
The citizens demand that state institutions should be stopped from extrajudicial murders, illegal and unnecessary use of weapons. They demand that a judicial commission should be constituted to probe into the Sahiwal tragedy and its all culprits should be given exemplary punishments. They demand to stop forced disappearances of social and political activists and early recovery of all the missing people.
Published in Daily Times, January 23rd 2019.
