The League of Barbarians…….. Pakistan Police!!!

In recent weeks much hype has been created by the videos being shown on different media channels, where the so feared “TTP” style lashing seems to be the weapon of choice for the Pakistan Police. Although the videos are new and so are the concerns of human right groups around Pakistan, but this practice of police especially in Pakistan is as old as I can remember. Some years back even the famous Robin Hood of Karachi,, Rehman Dakait was also seen in a video, being given the dose of notorious torture while the very next day he disappeared with police claiming that they never had him in their custody.

Anyhow the topic under discussion shouldn’t be the suspension of those police personnel seen in the videos (for them unfortunate that their God Father role got exposed) but rather on a macro level it is time that this most influential Mafia or rather Cartel of our society should be amended. There is nothing more fearsome around us (ofcourse suicide bombing is the 1st) than being faced by police, even in the case where you are the victim and want some relief through them let alone the case where you are the presumed culprit.

The Police of Pakistan has one attribute that no other police in the world has…….”visionary detective skills”. They have facilitated the judges and magistrate in the best way possible….. because they never wait for courts verdict and treat every one in custody as if the “massacre of Rwanda” comes in his domain of sins. Like in other cases, all we hear is that it’s the system which is at odds and police is from within us and its our sin which we face in the shape of this institution, but lets get ourselves out of this excuse and find a solution which is logical as well as practical.

It’s a time tested proverb that “Authority always comes with great responsibility” and there is no denial to this. Unfortunately down here it is translated that greater authority requires greater exercise of power and that too in the ruthless way. One other feature with police is the excuse that ‘it’s the order from the higher authorities and we are help less”……in the book of successful subordination, the definition of “order” is highlighted in this manner……..”An order should be legal to be followed” but like in other cases this phrase has never been given due attention.

But we must not confuse ourselves with this paradigm that throughout our 63 years history, the police has never produced heroes on whom we can be proud of. We have wonderful example of the modern highway and motorway police, the highly trained anti terror squad known as the “black cats” doing extra ordinary work. In addition to this on the front line against terrorist some police officers have shown extra ordinary courage, and whenever this has happened the nation has hailed them with the highest respect.

For solution instead of trusting my dreams I rather asked a veteran officer from this force. His solution and observation inspired me a lot and this is something that needs to be shared with all. The selection criteria and the removal of transparent selection exams have contributed a lot to this menace. It’s a culture that for selection instead of skills a fixed price is set in advance and in the remaining slots all you need is the good will of some renowned politician to get you through. For this the hired officer always owe their faith to either those influential politicians or the money which has got them through. So the best way forward is that a transparent judicial or selection commission must be setup in order to remove this flaw from this institution. For the prevailing officers and personnel it is recommended that an internal inquiery commission must be setup to investigate complaints against the personnel, and they must be taken to task………………….

Let us make Pakistan Police a model institution for even the world to follow and a day must come where every Pakistani can with pride and security walk into their nearest station and let their grievances get settled………finally!!!!!

Image: Irish Times