Public anger on the streets is no longer a shock. Take Nepal’s recent example: a mass movement shook the entire system, forcing the government to bend after a bloody clash that left 19 dead.

A public demonstration in Nepal was the latest in a series of similar uprisings. Even the US and Iran, despite their power and control, have not been spared from public demonstrations. From Isfahan to New York, people have taken to the streets to protest against inflation, corruption and questionable laws. Around the globe, protests have become a hallmark of public vigilance, a means of safeguarding democratic values and pressuring governments to listen.

Large-scale demonstrations against corruption were recorded in Serbia. In Mongolia, people took to the streets against government corruption and bullying and the prime minister had to resign. The people of Mali have been protesting since May. In Ukraine, public protests forced the government to roll back legislation. In Bangladesh, student protests turned the tables on the government. Kenya saw historic demonstrations over economic legislation.

Globally, such protests have become symbols of public vigilance, of keeping watch over democratic values and holding governments accountable.

The relationship between the public and the government in Pakistan is, however, quite peculiar. If we look at the past 15 years, there is hardly a single year in which protests have not dominated the political climate. The transition from Gen (r) Musharraf’s authoritarian rule to civilian democracy came with countless problems. Public........

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