Law / Mercy

I have a colleague whose brother (among many others) was refused to take final exam because of failing to attend classes 75% or more of the time. This was probably a rule they agreed to when getting admission in that prestigious institute. Anyway, all those students challenged college's decision in Lahore High Court.

Today, court decided in favor of students, who clearly had violated the rule. In fact, the honorable judge cornered college's lawyer and scolded him for presenting 'too powerful arguments against kids'.

I don't know why I did this (I hate myself) but I told my colleague how the decision was wrong. His argument was that nobody got hurt or the kids would have wasted one year of their lives. I argued in favor of rule of law: If you agree to something you abide or you get penalized. It was the best time to teach those kids a lesson, who would go out in public and private sector with huge responsibilities in future, about importance and impartiality of law. I am sure now they are more likely to 'adjust' things and to be corrupt in their future lives. Consequences reach that far.

I don't know why there has to be mercy in courts while everybody's life is a product of his own decisions. You and I can deal differently but a court of law holds far greater and public responsibility. Were all those students who struggled to attend classes more than 75% of the time were morons? I would be hugely discouraged if I were one of them. More than half a decade back, in class, I was presented the classical dilemma of a hungry person stealing bread. I said he should be punished according to law, or everybody would have the right to steal a bread whenever he/she feels hungry, and it would turn more hard working people into savages. Guess what? The very Islamic teacher gave me 3 out of 10 for that session. 3 for showing up.

Something deep in our culture is totally screwed.