- Government must explain
The government must explain its inaction despite multiple warrants issued by civil as well as anti-terrorism courts for the arrest of TLYR leader Khadim Rizvi and 14 others related to last year’s Faizabad sit-in. Silence will, of course, only encourage speculation. Already the word on the street is that the ruling party’s reluctance owes to concerns about further compromising the far-right religious vote bank so close to the general election. Going into the election much of the right-of-centre electorate, which was traditionally core PML-N constituency, has splintered in favour of new players like MML and TLYR.
Yet there’s only so long the government can kick this particular can down the road. Sooner rather than later the judiciary is likely to put a deadline for the arrest. Not only has Rizvi badmouthed state institutions openly, he has also ridiculed and abused the judiciary, including the chief justice. Also, among the charges against him is terrorism, so the courts will have to push this matter through no matter how much it upsets the government’s election plans. So far, the interior ministry has passed the responsibility, for the arrest, to the Punjab government, which in turn promises honouring the courts’ orders but refuses to attach a time limit to it. And the Punjab police has, so far, tended to avoid the press on the matter.
Strangely, much about the so-called Faizabad dharna from November last year remains as shrouded in mystery now as it was then. Considering how the episode embarrassed and humiliated the government on so many levels, it was expected to act with a sense of urgency especially when the arrest warrants were issued. Now it is learnt that Rizvi is accusing the government of going back on the agreement that ended the sit-in, and threatening to paralyse the country if his demands are not met, which shows he’s unlikely to walk-in voluntarily at least. Instead of taking prompt action, the government seems sleepwalking into another disaster.