PAKISTAN today stands at a dangerous crossroads where state authority has eroded and daily life for citizens has become hostage to chaos.

Any group can take to the streets at will, block major roads and wield sticks, stones, petrol bombs and even firearms, attacking public and private property and clashing with law enforcement. Ordinary people, not protesters, pay the price: ambulances are stopped, hospitals become inaccessible, businesses shut down, schools close and the state watches helplessly. This cycle has played out for years, each time buried under some political “understanding.”

The bitter truth is that when protests target a sitting government, those in power often look away for political expediency. A few cases are registered, some statements made and the issue fades. When the same groups come to power, they withdraw the cases against themselves. The result is an endless loop of mob politics in which the law weakens while powerful groups grow stronger. The State’s authority is hollowed out each time.

The situation turns more volatile when religious groups enter the scene. They claim moral supremacy, disregard the law entirely and block roads wherever they wish. Transport grinds to a halt, businesses are paralyzed and a climate of fear spreads. These groups openly resort to violence, even killing law enforcement officers, while the State issues loud condemnations that soon melt into deals and appeasement.........

© Pakistan Observer