Person Specific Laws and 18th Amendment

By Salman Mugsi • May 20th, 2008 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • (3,620 views) • No Responses

The biggest problem faced by the hapless and brutally frustrated people of Pakistan is the unavailability of justice and the differential and discriminatory laws. Laws are different for the poor, and there are separate laws for the wealthy and powerful. The elite is treated quite differently, while the “humma shumma” are treated like dirt.

With the advent of highly condemnable National Reconciliation Ordinance, a vivid line has been drawn between the powerful and the powerless. While who looted billions of dollars have been acquitted and those who have to pay loans of Rs. 50,000 are being harrassed by the thugs of banks. Many such small time defaulters have committed suicide, and thier families are on the roads. While those who plundered billions, not only have got the rule but also every right to enjoy the mammoth wealth.

The rich are under the blessing of NRO, while the poor have to deal with bandits and robbers. Then the times comes, when people take into their own hands and the new fashion of burning down robbers after thrashing them publicly is spreading like wildfire. From Karachi to Sukkur to Lahore to Peshawar, such incidents have been reported in tandem, where citizen justice ruled and the mob gave verdict and punished the criminal on the spot.

Now there is talk of brining in 18th Amendment in the constitution. PPP government is all set to table yet another amendment. Law Minister Farooq H Naek and draftsman of law ministry Hakim Ali Khan are busy like hell to prepare this amendment and it’s just matter of days that it would see the light of the day.

One hopes that this amendment doesn’t become yet another constitutional cover for the rich and wealthy. One hopes that this amendment punish severely those who abrogate and breach the constitution, and one hopes that this amendment doesn’t give indemnity to the illegal acts by the civilian and military dictators. One hopes that this amendment doesn’t render shelter to unconstitutional acts of Nov. 2 and it doesn’t give pardon to crimes like NRO. One hopes that this amendment provides relief to the common man of Pakistan.