Stop Police-Gardi in Punjab

When it comes to institutions and their respective performance in Pakistan, there is hardly any attribute worth mentioning whether we take WAPDA, PIA, Railways, FBR, as a teat case. But successfully topping the list of most inefficient institutions remain our police who has by its acts and performance ensured that this slot remains in their pocket for good. Although their performance in all four provinces remains under red light, it’s the Punjab police in particular which has gone on a rampage in the near past. There attitude has made police station somewhat “taboo” for a normal person.

Conducting investigation is a far cry, its even impossible for a person without influence to register a simple FIR but this is something which Punjab police has kept with itself like a shadow along with corruption.

Having said this, it’s the element of brutality in uniform which has made even survival around them impossible. Every other day we hear reports of police officials beating a passerby unconscious for no apparent reason. By exerting a little strain on our memory, we can recall the barbaric role they played by accommodating a mob in sialkot in to killing two brothers in board day light, accused of robbery. In that specific episode the ignorance or rather involvement of police officials ran from top to bottom.

Just a few days back another incident made its way in to the ever swelling book of “Police Gardi”. As reported two natives of Gujranwala were picked up by police on the pretext of being robbers. For 15 days they were tortured in the most brutal manner for accepting their involvement in a robbery case. Our police successfully took confession from the two accused with the aid of their torture techniques, the same techniques which has won them fans even in CIA and FBI .

But the story has just began. In order to acquire their confession on other robbery cases in the area, they were taken to their home late in the night. In the presence of their family (reportedly sisters and mothers) and neighbors, they were stripped naked and tortured in an attempt to break them down in to accepting all the allegations. Like always, the police with their famous torture did break them down, but it seems it did more than just acquiring confession. Having been disgraced in the most inhuman manner, the two guys while in lock up found no option but to cut each other throat. They are in hospital fighting for life. Police version has blamed both accused of staging this drama in order to hide their crime. In order to accept police version of events, its important to imagine yourself in a position where you decide to take off your head with your own hands.

Its nothing new, but its important because this has become a routine for the boys in black. The protectors of moral, legal and social values have themselves become wild hunters and like predators it seems that no matter how much you tame them, the instincts remain unclear.

The biggest problem with police remains itself accountability.One way or the other the department always shields the culprit and in this manner encourages the others to follow this path. Secondly political inductions have also made this department a living hell for every citizen. Tempering with merit or paid induction insures a career without honor. Lastly, its time that police official should be given the fundamental lecture of “rights and duties” Somehow or the other appointee in this department has taken it as a source of power, which only means exploitation.

Equally important is the fact that those official with a track record of any brutal behavior should be rehabbed by the department. This program must cover psychological aspect of human behavior, because the way these incidents have started occurring, they should be death on primary basis. This matter is so important that one can not turn a blind eye, and ignorance now could only be translated as destruction tomorrow.