NATO Attack & Lawyers
Lawyers and Bar Associations announced not to attend the courts on Monday the 28th as a protest against the NATO attack killing Pak Army soldiers and officers on a border check post. While gratefully appreciating their this kind gesture of siding and standing with the army on this matter, I think such protestations should not be resorted to by closing the markets, keeping the public transport off roads, striking work at the factories and not attending the offices and courts. Such a practice apart from causing a loss of billions to the national economy also presents many with undue and untold miseries and sufferings. A wretched litigant walking for miles from a rural area is utterly dismayed to find his lawyer not attending the court, or someone’s crucial bail could not be arranged in time to attend the funeral of his near and dear one! A life is lost as it could not be taken to the hospital due to the transport strike, etc. To spare the public of such agony and at the same time show solidarity with a cause, I think, the protestors could do their normal work and yet show their protest by wearing a black arm band, or displaying other visible signs, placards, banners, etc. By doing so millions and millions of productive man hours will be saved and the purpose of the protestation also achieved.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
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