Economic cost of dharna

The Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) sit-in in the federal capital that finally ended on Monday last not only caused tremendous transport inconvenience to those who routinely ply the roads between the twin cities, the economic losses too were no less significant. Business Recorder undertook an anecdotal survey of different trade groups, including transporters, pharmaceutical companies and perishables and the consensus was that the loss can be estimated at 30 billion rupees. The cost of transport rose dramatically, mainly due to a massive rise in travel time, resulting in a rise in the price of all commodities.
The government sources, however, challenge the estimate claiming that it is grossly overestimated given that Islamabad is not a major industrial or agricultural centre. That logic may have some merit; however, the PML-N-led government quantified the 2014 Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri-led 120-day dharna at 800 billion rupees which is tantamount to claiming 6 billion rupees loss per day. The TYLRA began their dharna on 5th November and by employing the same rate the actual loss for 21 days should be at least three times the 30 billion rupees estimated by the private sector or around 102 billion rupees. Additionally, by allowing dharnas to continue indefinitely the government is abrogating its responsibility as clearly stated in Article 5 of the constitution: "Every citizen shall have the right to remain in, and, subject, to any reasonable restriction imposed by law in the public interest, enter and move freely throughout Pakistan and to reside and settle in any part thereof".
It is baffling that a government that claims to be investor-friendly should be so laid back in dealing with this latest dharna. Critics claim that successive governments' negotiating powers with protesters have steadily become more compromised with time - a situation that is as much a reflection of the tendency of all protesters to begin a sit-in as the only way for a government, federal and provincial, to heed their demands be they genuine or not, as it is of the government's hesitation to create a serious situation through a crackdown, for example, the loss of life during the raids on Lal Masjid and in Model Town. Be that as it may, not taking appropriate action to end dharnas when their demands are considered by the government to be unreasonable has led to untenable situations.
Apart from the cost to the economy, the loss of face for the government and the stark erosion in the writ of the state are matters that present an extremely serious threat to governance and stability of the country. It would perhaps be appropriate to set up a commission to examine this entire issue so that the governments both provincial and federal do not commit the same blunders that were the hallmark in their handling of the present dharna.