The Battle is Won, the War has Begun!

Today is a big day. After a long time, we have cause for celebration. So, forget all the negativity for one day and enjoy the moment. The people of Pakistan, led by the lawyers and ably supported by the media have won. The reinstatement of the judges should once and for all remove any doubts we had about the power of the masses.

The movement owes its ultimate success to the determination of the lawyers, the freedom of the media and the courage of the people. Some analysts have gone to the extent of comparing this triumph with the creation of Pakistan and I agree with them to an extent. Like 1947, the people rallied together for a cause they believed in and forced the powerful classes to buckle under the pressure of mass upheaval.

But after the rejoicing is over, we should remember some other aspects of independence. The creation of Pakistan resulted in the coming to power of a privileged class that soon forgot the common man in its pursuit to gain maximum advantage for themselves out of the success. Such a fate should not descend upon this victory as well.

This is a time to brace ourselves and make sure that this struggle does not go waste. The creation of Pakistan was not the ultimate goal; it was only the means to an end. The reinstatement of judges is exactly the same. We have not achieved an independent judiciary or a just society yet, but a major breakthrough has been made.

Let’s hope we don’t follow the old path again.