How much power does the average Pakistani on the street vield? Almost none. Can he stand his ground against the powerful? no. Can he expect any kind of justice in his life? nopes. Pakistan is not an empowered society. Only the connected and powerful people have any say in how this country is run. You can have connections with either the government or any of the various mafia or the political parties and you are eligible to get a get-out-of-jail free card. Show up in a big car with a number plate denoting your party affiliation and/or public office (like MPA, MNA, some minister or the other) and you can violate all the laws, act like a pig on the city streets and get away scot free. Nobody will dare stand up to you lest they themselves end up getting the wrath of all that you will be presumed to have the power to do.
So why IS our society like that? Well, for starters, the absence of justice and a complicated and corrupt justice system is one thing to blame. Supremacy of law has never been a part of the Pakistani culture. Law exists only so the powerful can bend it to demonstrate their powerfull-ness. The higher the public office you have, generally the more you behave with impunity. The courts are extremely complicated, overcrowded, and take too much time and money in order to give proper justice. The process eludes the masses. You dont feel that you will be able to get a just decision if you get caught up in anything. Therefore, you try to hide from it all and save yourself. And therefore you dont dare stand up for yourself because if you are wronged, it will be very difficult for you to get punishment for the wrongdoer.
No wonder the Taliban were able to get an initial foothold in the Northern Areas. Their Nizam-e-Adl at least promised proper and equitable justice to those living in the region. It was harsh, but it was quick and accessible. And it did not bend to the rich or the powerful. I had a conversation in Sindh once with a person who hailed from FATA. I asked him if he liked living in the area as compared to FATA and what he thought about the tribal areas becoming a regular part of Pakistan. What he said was very true. In Pakistan, there was no fairness in terms of justice and equitable application of the law. Whereas in his tribal areas, he could appeal to his local jirga for anything even against a powerful chief and he was liable to get a just and fair trial. That is why he never wanted FATA to become a regular part of Pakistan. Sounds justifiable. I would not want to live in a country where I could not raise my voice against anyone powerful without fear of the repurcussions. But unfortunately, I do.
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