Individual Counts

The Davis case is being used by certain elements in the society, as a catalyst to invigorate nationalist and religious sentiments of our poor and deprived nation. The sentiments which our cricket players have failed to stimulate are being nurtured by these right wing parties for their own malign purposes. The recent rallies being carried out across Lahore by right wing outfits, including the banned group of Jamat ud-Dawa clearly give the sense of frustration, present within our society. Our simple and ignorant people are being herded onto a dangerous path by these parties. With Davis already being handed down the judgment of being guilty by these elements, the mood can be simply judged by the banners being displayed in these rallies, depicting a noose around Raymond Davis’s neck. The statement is quite simple that anything below a death penalty for the accused will bear grave consequences. The question to be pondered upon is, will these demands stop at Raymond and who will the next person be inside that noose? Is the verdict already decided and the courts are bound to give decisions based on public sentiments, rather than the concept that “everyone is innocent unless proven guilty”? Where is the rule of law, when banned outfits merge openly into public rallies?

It is quite a surprise when one sees statements disseminating from banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, being published prominently on the front pages of newspapers. This time it is again Raymond Davis and they have threatened the government against releasing him. It is probably a widespread understanding that after such terrorists groups have been banned by the government, their statements have also been barred from coming onto the media. But the credit goes to the media, which has already made the issue of Lahore shooting an opportunity, to settle some kind of personal vendetta. They have now left no stone unturned to display the displeasure within Pakistan, hence comes the statements from this banned group. A group which has its hand filled with blood of innumerable innocent Pakistanis, is threatening the government against releasing a person, who has allegedly killed two.

It is a fanfare out there and the media along with the right wing political parties has jumped in, to bask in the limelight. The mentioning of Raymond Davis might boil the blood of an average Pakistani (again courtesy of the media), but these so-called anchorpersons and investigative reporters are enjoying this case, which has become their favorite subject. The coverage from the first day of this event has been based on questionable grounds, as even the preliminary investigations were not complete and breakthroughs in the case already seem to be appearing the media. These journalists have conveniently brushed aside the fact, that the two people killed by the accused were carrying weapons and a case of robbery was registered against them.
The TV anchorpersons, investigative reporters and their teams of pseudo analysts have already declared the accused as a spy, while the status is still being ascertained by the courts and foreign office. The case seems to be in the midst of a media trial, rather than in the legal courts. Headlines, such as US issues ‘stricter warning’ Davis (The Nation, 08-02-11), seem only to serve inciting the sentiments of the common Pakistani.