Sri Lanka blasts

EVEN in times like these when mass-casualty attacks have become frighteningly common,
Sunday’s bloodbath in Sri Lanka stood out for the terrorists’ calculated brutality. The
Easter attacks, targeting churches and hotels, have claimed some 300 lives, while hundreds more
are injured. A number of victims were killed while attending Easter services, while others fell as
they settled down for Sunday brunch. At this point, it is not clear who is behind the atrocity,
though the Sri Lankan government suspects a local jihadi group of involvement. Officials have
not ruled out the possibility that foreign elements may have had a role. However, the Sri Lankan
government’s handling of news related to the massacre is to be appreciated; the state acted
responsibly by not allowing fake news and misinformation to colour the narrative, and did not
point fingers at any community. In such sensitive situations, misinformation can result in
revenge attacks and retaliatory violence targeting members of the accused communities.

As the Sri Lankan government rounds up the suspects and starts investigations, it must continue
to handle the situation with care. Indeed, those involved in this heinous act of violence must face
the full force of the law. But whole communities must not be demonised. Sri Lanka has seen its
fair share of ethnic and communal violence. It has been only 10 years since the brutal civil war
— pitting the Sinhalese Buddhist majority against the mostly Hindu Tamil rebels, fighting for a
separate homeland — wound down. It was a conflict marked by great ferocity. In more recent
times, a militant fringe of Buddhist monks has sought to isolate the island’s Muslim majority;
communal violence last year led to a state of emergency being declared in the country.

The country’s leadership has done the right thing by appealing for unity in the wake of Sunday’s
attacks. Communal forces must not be allowed to fan the flames of hatred, as Sri Lanka cannot
afford a return to the days of hostility between communities. Transnational terrorism — due to
its very nature — requires a global, coordinated response. Militant movements rarely recognise
borders, which is why governments must share information and intelligence to thwart attacks
beyond their respective frontiers. Moreover, it is necessary for countries to conduct an internal
stock-taking exercise, and take action against extremist nationalist and religious movements that
thrive on exclusivity and hatred of the ‘other’.
As is evident across the globe, the far right is on the march, and it appears that states —
including those that swear by democracy — are not doing enough to rein in the hatemongers.
Challenging as it may be, all countries, regardless of their social, cultural and religious outlook,
need to take firm, coordinated action against terrorism — especially at a time when hatred and
extremism are outstripping all measures to maintain peace.

PbBC’s resolution

A DANGEROUS — and increasingly familiar — storyline about the integrity of the justice
system is unfolding, laying bare the growing threat to judicial independence and
transparency in the country. A six-member executive committee of the Punjab Bar Council
has drafted a resolution demanding the removal of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who it believes
“ridiculed the armed forces instead of appreciating them” in his recent verdict on the
Faizabad dharna. It has also lauded the removal of justice Shaukat Siddiqui by the
Supreme Judicial Council, stating that he “transgressed limits”. The PbBC statement was
in response to the Karachi Bar Association’s move to file a petition in the apex court, in
which it has asked that an inquiry be conducted into Mr Siddiqui’s allegations regarding
the interference of intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

Although the Punjab council executive committee that authored this resolution is a smaller group
which may not represent the full council, the implications of its actions betray the politics in our
judicial system and the increasing vulnerability of the latter to external influence. While there
also seems to be a strong element of inter-association rivalry between the PbBC and the KBA —
which is supported by other lawyers’ bodies in Sindh — the bigger picture of silencing dissent
and criticism of the alleged role of the security agencies is troubling. In his role as a high court
judge, Mr Siddiqui had established himself as a religious bigot furthering a hateful ideology. He
was removed by the Supreme Judicial Council — not for being a polarising figure, but,
apparently, for his hard stance on the intelligence agencies. Similarly, Justice Faez Isa, who in
the Faizabad judgement directed intelligence agencies to operate within their mandate, is now
being criticised — in addition to the PbBC resolution, there are eight petitions in the apex court
asking for a review of the Faizabad verdict. In this environment, the Sindh lawyers’
condemnation of the resolution is welcome. The KBA has rightly termed it malicious and turned
the spotlight back on the allegations of Mr Siddiqui against intelligence agencies. It is no secret
that the intelligence agencies have interfered in political matters; former spymasters have
admitted as much as evident from the Asghar Khan case. In the interest of democracy, there is a
legitimate basis for greater investigation — and redress — of such allegations by the judiciary.
The Supreme Court would do well to handle the issue and thus prevent lawyers from maligning
an honourable judge.

Medical malfeasance

THE loss of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare, and that grief is compounded by the
knowledge that their death was utterly avoidable. Yesterday, nine-month-old Nashwa
succumbed to the health complications she faced after allegedly being incorrectly
administered medication at a private hospital in Karachi earlier this month. Across
Pakistan, thousands of people like her parents put their loved ones’ lives in the hands of
doctors and hospitals every day, hoping to receive expert care and treatment. Yet time and
again, for this basic expectation, they are made to suffer the horrific, often tragic,
consequences of medical malpractice, failure to follow protocols, gross negligence and
blatant greed. To err is human, and healthcare providers do make honest mistakes. But
from overtreatment to misdiagnosis, from profit incentive in private facilities to
mismanagement in public ones, bad-faith actors within the healthcare system have
corrupted the ethical standards of their profession and shaken the public’s confidence in
the quality of service.

That such malfeasance is seemingly proliferating is the result not only of negligent individuals,
but the impunity afforded to them by the absence of a strong regulatory framework enforced by
the medical community, hospital administrations, and the government. In Sindh, for example,
consumer courts were only just established and are yet to be made fully functional — four years
after the provincial consumer protection law was passed. The powers of the PMDC, meanwhile,
are in disarray since the body was reconstituted under a controversial new ordinance. In the
absence of strong oversight infrastructure to counter the deluge of malpractice and criminal
cases, it falls on the press to apply pressure for medical practitioners to be held accountable when
such cases come to light. But for every case that receives media coverage, there are dozens more
that go undocumented. Standing in front of the cameras, Nashwa’s grief-stricken father pleaded
for action. A healthcare system in shambles failed her. That must change.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2019