Is this SC triumph a one off for democracy?
Regardless of one’s political affiliations, one can appreciate at least one reason why members of the public may be celebrating. 28 July will go down in history as a day when the Supreme Court’s five member bench gave the nation a reason to believe that the judiciary may very well be on its way to achieving true independence. Whether or not we’re still feeling this jubilant if and when members of the opposition find themselves facing similar inquiries is, of course, a completely different matter, but one that we can focus on later – after, perhaps, this initial shock has worn off.
It is truly momentous for the Supreme Court’s decision to have arrived so promptly. Speedy justice is a dream that many believed would never be possible in Pakistan, where simple property disputes can go on for generations and people often turn to the controversial Jirgas and panchayats or – worse yet – take matters into their own hands to get immediate action.
As those with expertise in legal affairs take their time to analyse the consequences of the SC’s decision to disqualify the PM, we would focus our attention elsewhere. We would like to take this moment to hope that this turn of events will also carve the way for the provision of justice to all citizens in the country in as timely a manner as the Panama verdict. While we can debate what it means for democracy, true change will mean that every citizen can expect the resolution of their cases within six months. This display of judicial might is of no use if, after this, the pendulum of justice is set to retreat once again.