The Lahore Police Monday lodged F.I.R. against PPP Punjab President Rana Aftab and 250 other activists in connection with staging protest and torching effigies against a court ruling.
The cases were registered at Qila Gojar Singh Police Station under Section 503, 600 and 506.
PPP leaders Rana Aftab, Samiullah Khan, Asghar Gujar and Dr. Fakhruddin were nominated in the FIR. In addition, cases were also registered against 250 other PPP workers.
The police said that they were facing charges of staging protest and burning effigies against Supreme Court ruling on Feb 14.
The police said that unknown activists were identified through video recordings of the demonstrations.
The launching of a First Information Report (FIR) against a significant number of PPP party leaders and workers has the potential to become a thorn in the side of the coalition in Punjab and the policy of reconciliation in the country generally. The almost 250 workers of the PPP and female MPAs such as Sajida Mir and Faiza Malik have been named in the FIR after protesting against the judiciary during the recent hoopla on judicial appointments that seemed to have pitted the judiciary against the executive. There was no harm caused to life or property, only an expression of opposing opinion. The last time one checked, democracy accepted criticism and disapproval as a cornerstone of its philosophy. However, we must remember that although some self righteous political parties claim to be democratic but they don’t know what a democracy is all about.. Liberal democracies do not bar the freedom to exercise dissent if there are no damaging repercussions. Here, the judiciary which, after the recent fiasco, has appointed itself defender of the democratic system should have the tolerance and acceptance of letting those who challenge be heard. Instead, this FIR is an attempt to silence this voice. When effigies of President Zardari were set aflame, due to flaring tempers initiated by the judicial/government standoff, no such action was taken against PML-N party members. A partisan strain present within the law-enforcement regime in Punjab that does the bidding of the ruling PML-N is going to give rise to frustration on many levels. With the PML-N adopting an aggressive stance and violating the constitutional right to protest, one should not be surprised if the PPP fights back after so many unprovoked chastisements.