State squandering authority is of no good
Respects must be paid to those who fell by thousands in the line of duty. They are the heroes who stood guard while the rest of the people went around doing their normal duties: the children attended schools, the workers ran the factories, the doctors tended the sick and the whole country had a sense of security because dedicated men and women in uniform were keeping vigilance twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Irrespective of whether they belonged to the Pakistan Army, Rangers, Levies, FC or Police, the martyrs are the salt of the earth. Let the nation pay homage to them every year to remember and cherish the service they did to the country by sacrificing the dearest thing they possessed.
While there can be differences on numerous issues in a society, there has to be a unanimity on the mechanism to resolve the disputes. Every society has touchstones that remain undisputed. Differences within the institutions and organs of the state are a normal thing. What is important is that everyone obeys the constitution which has spelled out the extent and limit of every institution and organ of state. It is heartening to note that the army remains committed to make the insurgents accept the writ of the state. Furthermore, the army is confident that it is more than capable of dealing with those who challenge the authority of the state. It is time the government realised it has shown enough patience to those who indulge in willful killings and kidnappings of those in the line of duty as well as the unwary common citizens going about their work. Time has come to tell them that henceforth they will not be shown any quarter. The government will bear responsibility if it maintained apathy in case of any intransigence or act of violence by the Taliban outlaws.
It is also time to move ahead beyond the recent standoff. It should be a matter of satisfaction that those involved in it followed the course of law. This shows a growing confidence in the efficacy of the institutions. The government put in place, with the help of the Supreme Court, an independent commission of inquiry and the ISI lodged a complaint with the PEMRA. It is now for the institutions to come up to the expectations of even handedness, transparency and efficient resolution of disputes. Freedom comes with responsibility, though this is just one lesson among many that the journalist community and the media owners have to learn from the recent events.