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Futility of treason charges: Editorial in Pakistan Today, November 3rd, 2020


Pakistan has an unfortunate history of calling political opponents traitors and charging them of sedition. Over the decades some of the most patriotic people had to face the charge. Captain (later Colonel) Hasan Khan who arrested Dogra Brig Ghansara Singh and declared Gilgit a part of Pakistan in 1947 was in later years arrested and sentenced in Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case along with Maj Gen Akbar Khan who had led a tribal lashkar, patriotic volunteers and irregulars to Kashmir to make it a part of Pakistan. Pakistan’ most celebrated poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz was also sentenced in this made up conspiracy case. Abdul Wali Khan, Ghous Bux Bizenjo, Ataullah Mengal and poet Habib Jalib were tried along with several others in Hyderabad Conspiracy case. They were released when Zia ul Haq overthrew ZAB’s government showing that the case was politically motivated. Political Parties too have been banned in the past. Declared illegal in 1954, the Communist Party of Pakistan went underground and continued to work through front organisations. National Awami Party was banned in 1975 but continued to operate under the name NDP for a while. Renamed ANP, it has ruled as a coalition partner in KP several times.

After bandying charges of treason or being a security throughout the 90’s, the PML-N and PPP finally discovered the futility of the exercise. Terms like traitor and enemy agent almost dropped out of political parlance after the advent of democracy in 2008. This was widely welcomed as a sign of political maturity.

The PTI, which lacks an understanding of the country’s political history needs to be reminded that labeling opponents as traitors would not cover up its own failures to deliver. The attention of the poor and lower middle class families that constitute the majority of the country is fully riveted on how to make the two ends meet. What matters to them is the ruling party’s performance that alone can ameliorate their plight. The government can expose its opponents only through better performance instead of wasting time in putting up posters and banners about somebody in the opposition being a traitor or even banning an opposition party. Vengeful actions of the sort haven’t helped governments in the past; they won’t help now. https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/11/02/futility-of-treason-charges/