Courts, Lawyers, and a Troubling Pattern
The Karachi assault revived uncomfortable memories:
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The 2019 Punjab Institute of Cardiology attack, where lawyers vandalized a hospital
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Post–Bar Council election gunfire incidents
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The aggressive street power that followed parts of the 2007–09 Lawyers’ Movement
Pakistan’s legal community has historically stood for constitutionalism. When lawyers become a mob inside a courtroom, the symbolism is devastating.
This is not about defending an influencer. It is about defending institutions from self-inflicted loss of legitimacy.
Influencers vs Institutions: A Collision Long in the Making
Pakistan’s state and society have struggled to adapt to social media’s speed and scale. Governments oscillate between digitization promises and platform bans; institutions demand respect but often lack credible enforcement mechanisms.
The result is a dangerous vacuum where:
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Influencers test limits for clicks
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Institutions react emotionally instead of procedurally
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Violence becomes a substitute for accountability
This pattern was visible during repeated TikTok bans, despite high-level meetings with global tech firms and public commitments to digital inclusion. The contradiction remains unresolved.
