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From the very inception of our state, the Establishment has shown itself unequal to the task of building a democracy. In 1947-48, Bengali Pakistanis were vilified and punished for demanding, as 52% of the population, that Bengali be declared ONE of the national languages of Pk
Newspapers were flooded with reports of ‘men in loongis’ coming from across the border (i.e., West Bengal) to create ‘disunity’ and ‘weaken the foundations of the state’. The Constituent Assembly Reports are filled with these debates.
In 1952, the issue of the place of Bengalis in the new nation-state now worsened rather than resolved, peaceful protestors - students, academics, etc. - were fired on with live ammunition in Dhaka. This event was immortalized as ‘Ekushey’ in East Bengal/Pakistan.
The deep state in Pakistan never had any sense of proportion, so I guess it’s absurd to expect any from it now when it’s feeling cornered. But it’s an amazing move to accuse peaceful civil rights activists of sedition weeks after one of their own has been actually indicted for it
It shouldn’t need to be said but clearly it needs to be said over and over again - demanding your legitimate and constitutional rights as a citizen of the state is not sedition. Trampling on the rights of ordinary citizens over and over again is sedition.
Overthrowing elected governments over and over again, manipulating the legal system to legitimize your illegal coups, calling the constitution a piece of paper to be thrown into the dustbin is sedition.
