The sanctity of the Supreme Court of Pakistan was violated by few lawyers, who raised slogans within premises of the court.
These men had no business to be there, nor can they deny to Aitzaz the honour and prestige he has earned for himself by standing up to a military dictator, when many others were quietly going around their business appearing before Dogar courts and being handsomely rewarded for such services. It was Aitzaz who dared to defend Mukhtaran Mai, a poor woman raped and humiliated by a tribal jirga.
Every citizen of Pakistan has a right to be represented by a lawyer of his choice. Those who are raising issues of morality questioning Aitzaz for defending this government tainted with allegations of corruption, had no hesitation to take up cases defending others, who had defrauded national exchequer.
The sanctity of Supreme Court was also violated by a handful of jiyalas who managed to squeeze in and chant slogans, as it was grossly violated previously by a fake PhD holding controversial lawyer, responsible for pitting this regime on confrontational path with superior judiciary.
If these lawyers’ group who raised slogans against Aitzaz have no political motives then they must be seen defending common citizens who cannot afford to hire their services, although they have been denied their rights by state organisations or powerful feudal and traders. It is time the Supreme Court delivers justice to people of Pakistan, instead of being entangled in technicalities, since it alone has jurisdiction to do so and set precedents for other courts to follow.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
