Protests and economy

Past two days have seen a country marred by protests and road blocks that have brought the economic wheel to a screeching halt. The protests that began after Supreme Court verdict to acquit blasphemy accused Asia Bibi have not gone away even after two days and all major roads and motorways are continuously blocked. No doubt, we are a religiously sentimental nation and blasphemy is a sensitive issue even to be publicly discussed, but this is purely an economic argument that must be considered by all sides.

Long queues of containers and cargo vehicles on thoroughfares show that trade has remained suspended for two days. Offices and markets are closed along with all kinds of public transport. This affects not only the lowest income group who rely on daily wages, but billions of Rupees are lost if country goes even one day without economic activity. The economic cost of such blockades goes far deeper than merely a standstill of routine life.

For a country like Pakistan that is suffering from chronic economic crisis and desperately looking for foreign investments to jumpstart the sluggish industrial manufacturing sector, such events are a death sentence in international trade community. Who will want to invest in a country where any group with a few sticks and burning tyres could paralyze the whole country within minutes.

Maintenance of law and order is the crucial prerequisite for economy to thrive and this cannot be achieved without imposing the writ of state. Peaceful Protest is the constitutional right of every citizen but to block roads and damage public property and vehicles is no way to show anger at a judicial decision. Prime Minister Imran Khan was right to spell it out clearly in his address to nation and full support of opposition and law enforcement agencies is required to restore law and order. No one can be allowed to take law into their own hand.