Amidst Democracy

Written by Hadeed Sher

Police system is as old as the history of governments in the world. During the time of war lords and monarchies the system of police was used for tax collection also. Despite being the oldest organizations of the world governments, still many countries especially underdeveloped lack a well organized and disciplined force to control the law and order situation. Pakistan also falls in that category.

It was the British government who maintained a well organized police force for curbing the political as well as law and order situation from Peshawar to the last village of Bengal, across the subcontinent. At that time the police was a disciplined force (as far as the writ of the government is concerned) where the orders were executed without any hitch and the culprits were properly prosecuted under judicial procedures. After the subcontinent was divided into Pakistan and India, the decline of this force started. The very first point that strikes the mind is, the change in administration created this downfall. Yes it may be one of the reasons but right here my point of discussion is not about the administrative issues of Police service of Pakistan but about the inhumane and beastly nature of Police.

Consider the  case of #OKARA which aghast the people of Pakistan. Where the holy relationship of a father and son was turned into a sin in an appalling act of rape by the Punjab Police. I read that news on an internet based news agency a day or two before it was published in national newspapers. It was such a heinous act that even a bacchanalian person cannot think of it. The police torture was a third degree torture that one can only expect to be in NAZI's prisoner camps, ABU GHURAIB of IRAQ or Guantanamu Bay of USA. The difference here is only this that those who were arrested by the SINFUL POLICE force of Punjab were of the same religion and were tortured without undergoing due legal procedures. Punjab POLICE has thus established a new DEEP SHIT level of inhumane and beastly torture at the cost of only departmental inquiries and a possible suspension for a few months. Such an utter shame and disgrace for the whole Nation. The hostages real father and son were forced to rape each other and were coerced to drink human urine, all in a city which is amidst Punjab. For the next day or two this incident was not reported in the media and hence no action was taken by the district police officials. This means that in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan if anyone needs justice he has to be in media headlines. Here the justice is purchased its not given.

The fragility of our institutions is evident from the fact that in all such cases CM Punjab has to take action. The mechanism of institutional discipline has collapsed and therefore is the reason of such filthy incidents. The whole police station was suspended from their service while the FIR is not filed under the clauses of forced rape, which as per me is an attempt to save the criminals. It is observed that our Police run amok while investigation. It is also a dangerous and alarming situation that the abominable behavior of our Police force is an actual reason of alienating the people from themselves. The establishment of accountability in the institutions is essential for avoiding such future incidents. It will be a gross underestimation that in future such incidents will not happen. They will happen because the justice is not seen here. Those involved in violating the sanctity of houses and females in the FSD police Gardi incident are still part of the police force. Those who are investigated through departmental inquires must be chastised and the actions taken must be presented to people through mainstream media, and of action means the end result not just reporting the CM's action.