Naeem Bokhari - More sinned against than sinning
Yesterday, All Things Pakistan published a little protest against the uncalled for treatment of the much maligned Naeem Bokhari. AÂ few excerpts here..
we read the news that Bokhari was manhandled by his ‘black-coated’ fraternity when he re-appeared in the Courts after a long break. Naeem Bokhari broke the silence and wrote in The News on what exactly transpired on that fateful day when the Rawalpindi lawyers’ “fury†resulted in his humiliation and ruthless thrashing.Â
Bokhari painted a harrowing picture of his treatment. He alleges that he was “forcibly pushed out of the courtroom and hit on the head again and again.†At the end of this mob frenzy, Bokhari and his associate were severely beaten. Symbolically Bokhari’s coat was snatched and his shirt was torn. Humiliating as it is, the whole incident is reminiscent of tribal notions of justice.
While the misgivings against the perceived collaborators of the executive may be justified, such abusive treatment is not. It is plainly out of the ambit of the laws and code of conduct under which the legal profession is regulated. In fact, such incidents can taint the heroic image that the lawyers’ bodies have earned through their relentless, spectacular struggle.
And..
Would it be too much to ask that the Supreme Court should take suo moto notice of this incident and reaffirm that it is the ultimate guardian of constitutional rights and that it will not let its law-officers, especially in their name, behave the way an unaccountable executive governs.
 Read the full article and comments here
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I am not a musharraf supporter. He better Quit. But supreme court take notice even if someone ’sneeze’ in this nation (to note : only after march 9) but when it comes to their percieved enemy, they become ‘andha qanoon’.
“Is hammam main saare hi nunge hain aur aik dusre ki taange khench rahe hain”
What a mess !!
Comment by mystic — September 28, 2007 @ 7:21 am
What disappointed me most was the pre-dominant nature of the comments that followed. Reminded me of Adil Najam’s earlier post on anger. On second thoughts though, it was more than anger. It was an obstinate refusal to be rational and think clearly. And that particular (national) trait is highly depressing.
ps. you last link is broken.
Comment by Ayesha — September 28, 2007 @ 10:49 am
Mystic Saheb: kiya khoob kaha aap ne…
Ayesha: what a wise comment - yes I was also disappointed a little as thinking has taken a back seat in the inhabitants of the land of the pure..
anger, No.
Comment by RR — September 28, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
While i condemn lawyers armstwisting their colleague so ruthlessley but i also wish to see people like Mr Bokhari to be mindful of the consequences of their such blatant collusiveness with the establishment. His fault was that he disrespected highest post in judicial hierarchy. He was neither serving his duty as a law officer nor following acceptable civilised norms when he accused a sitting chief justice of baseless and concocted stories clearly denied by those he refered as evidences. He deserved a legal challenge to charges he hurled at CJ and not the physicial abuse he was subjected to.
Comment by Zia Hashmi — September 28, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
there is no excuse for jungleepun and jahalat, whether it is committed in the US or in Pakistan. I was appalled by the way the academia at Columbia University and the mainstream media treated the Iranian Premier. Wahan pay verbal slaps deliver huay. Aur yahan pas asal thuppar. The treatment of Naeem Bokhari is no less than the way Ahmadinejad was treated in NY.
And mind you i am not exactly beholden to either of them. Both are pandering to their own agenda but there are norms of behaviour and etiquette that in this day and age are largely missing!!
Comment by The Amenable One — September 28, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
Is this the frustration that manifests itself in a mob frenzy if suppressed for too long? What follows it, is any one’s guess. Look at history when it has occurred in the past. French Revolution signalled the end of an era, though after much bloodshed. Do we have to go through that before there can be hope?
Comment by AAK — September 28, 2007 @ 6:22 pm
The state of affairs in Pakistan seems to be in a mess. The people of Pakistan must learn to respect their institutions and allow for dissent. Iislam is a religion of moderation as verse 143 in sura Baqra clearly spells out. the Prophet of Allah warned us against extremism. If we are to propsper, we have to to listen to our the messenger of God who also said, “difference of opinion among scholars is a blessing.” Countries that call themselves Islamic don’t seem to be listening to Him. I think many secular countries like India adhere more to Islamic norms than Pakistan.sadia dehlvi
Comment by sadia dehlvi — September 28, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
Very good comments by you on the law and order situation in the country.
In this regard, I quote a famous Hadees of the Prophet:
“Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue, others are safe.”
In this beautiful and full and final hadees, I think, in those days since Lawyers did not exist, Prophet indicated that Muslim is he (He meant actually that Law-abiding person/lawyer is he from whose hand and tongue, others are safe” because if law-abiding person/lawyer/muslim cannot give peace to others, then how is it possible that the common citizens or men in the street may give peace to others - not possible.
So, in this Hadees, I think rather sure that Muslim means a Lawyer. This is a clear indication and thought-provoking moment now in the light of which our Courts and in the lines of which our Lawyers (so-called Lawyers) ought to think and better asking Musharraf to quit, they themselves ought to better reform and refine themselves so that the common men may idealize them.
Thanks,
Sohail
Comment by Sohail Yar — September 29, 2007 @ 6:59 am
Dear Sohail
Many thanks for the nice comment - and also the famous Hadees. You have interpreted and applied it well !
Comment by RR — September 29, 2007 @ 7:05 am
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Comment by Asma Pervaiz Khan — September 29, 2007 @ 4:03 pm
pakistan’s lawyer *class* has finally been galvanised into righteous action by its discovery of a *cause*
but years of obediently goose-stepping down paths delineated by a succession of risible and downright derisible kleptocrats has taken a toll that is not so easily reversed. fair play is usually the first victim of self-seeking government. here, sadly, is an example of how fine the line often is between righteousness and self-righteousness.
Comment by kinkminos — September 29, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
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