Controlling Protests.

Unless a protest displays violence or some excessively illegal activity, the government should never use tear gas and other extreme measures to deal with the protestors. This overreach of authority should particularly not occur at a protest organised by teachers, a largely undervalued and unpaid segment of our society.

Unfortunately, it seems the government did go down this route of excess authority in Bani Gala on Saturday. Police resorted to a baton-charge and fired tear gas on hundreds of teachers when they were marching on the residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The area was later 'sealed' and given under the protection of a well-equipped police contingent that included personnel of the Counter-Terrorism Department and Anti-Riot Unit.

The government can argue that the teachers' protest was unreasonable. They were protesting against new educational reforms by the government, especially the introduction of a policy whereby only teachers who pass the examination of the Public Service Commission and clear the interviews would have regularised jobs. It is true that the government tried to negotiate with the teachers by seeking a meeting, and Islamabad's deputy...