The recent anti-encroachment operation conducted by the local authorities in Islamabad in the Bari Imam area can only be described as a grave miscarriage of justice. The justification advanced for this operation namely, the security of the diplomatic enclave rings hollow. The local population of Bari Imam has coexisted alongside sensitive installations for decades without any major security-related incident. Collective punishment of an entire community in the name of speculative security concerns is neither lawful nor morally defensible.
The state must acknowledge its responsibility and adopt a humane, lawful and rights-based approach in addressing issues of urban development and security. A state that aspires to constitutionalism and justice must protect its citizens, not alienate them.
Muhammad Asif
Islamabad
