Lawyers Liars!

While there was no expectation from the politicians to be truthful and take responsibility for lawyers violence, it was a pleasant surprise to see Mr. Aitazaz Ahsan show a sense of responsibility by resigning. However, barely 24 hours after the resignation, Mr. Ahsan has started to backtrack and use "conspiracy theories" and "invisible hands" and place the blame on his favorite target: President Musharraf.
According to the BBC, "a top Pakistani lawyer (Mr. Ahsan) has condemned President Musharraf following the attack on Mr Niazi on Tuesday. On Wednesday, at a press conference in Karachi he played down talk of resignation and instead called on President Musharraf to go."

None of the lawyers from Lahore seen on various TV channels have unequivocally and strongly condemned the attack on Dr. Niazi. Advocate Latif Khosa's interview this morning on ARY TV is a representative example of the lack of candor in accepting responsibility. Instead, they have essentially chosen to soften any real criticism by offering various incomprehensible explanations for what was clearly visible on TV screens as an unprovoked and dastardly physical attack by lawyers on an elderly man. It is a very sad period indeed for those who were expecting civil society and rule of law to prevail with a new democratic setup. The only way to deal with this situation and go forward is to unequivocally condemn such actions, bring the culprits to justice, and send a powerful message to anyone contemplating a repeat of such despicable behavior.