Awoken Nation

  This is an extract from a media talk delivered by Faisal Chaudhary outside Adiala Jail. The Start of a Battle Standing in court today, I felt the weight of an unfair system bearing down on us. A criminal case had been registered against us in the marketplace, and charges were filed without any solid evidence. To make matters worse, we haven’t even received a copy of the charge sheet. Despite repeated requests for this crucial document, our pleas seem to fall on deaf ears. This isn’t just negligence; it’s a blatant disregard for legal processes. Our call for CCTV footage—a key piece of evidence—remains unanswered. What struck me most was how this one case stands isolated while other FIRs have been separated. The accusations revolve around incitement, but there’s no proof. Those who stayed loyal to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are being targeted, while others who abandoned the party are walking free. This selective justice is painful to witness. Political Victimization in Ful...

As I reflect on the unfolding drama in Pakistan, I cannot help but draw comparisons with the strength of other nations' institutions, like the U.S. Supreme Court, which draws its authority from the collective faith of its society and politics. It serves as the ultimate arbiter of disputes, applying logic and historical principles to guide its nation. Sadly, Pakistan's judiciary no longer holds such a place. The dismantling of its credibility began with the infamous Tamizuddin case of 1955 and reached its peak with the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment on October 20, 2024, which left the Supreme Court powerless. Today, no institution can play the role of an impartial referee for our fractured nation. This crisis is not the burden of one political party or leader; it is a collective failure—ours to own and resolve. Yet, as we falter, Imran Khan, Pakistan's former prime minister and now an emblematic figure, stands as a "prisoner of conscience." The term re...