Daily Times

Sir: It seems that Pakistani societies reliance on the military is growing stronger every day. These days the country is horrified and outraged by the rape and murder of the innocent six year old girl, Zainab, in Kasur, as it should be. Social media is full of calls for the perpetrator of this atrocity to be caught at once. Since the Punjab Police has failed to produce any results yet, people have been thinking of alternatives to this very inefficient and highly corrupt institution.

I was shocked to see many people on Facebook and Twitter imploring that our esteemed army get involved. Some also said that paedophiles, child abusers and rapists should be tried in military courts. Absolutely ridiculous!

An army is a state tool. The job of this tool is to protect the country from violent attacks from abroad and from within the country. Just like you can’t use a screwdriver to do a hammers job, you cant use the army to do the police and judiciary’s job. People who think the army has the solution to everything should be more mature. Just to clarify, I am not criticising the army here, but the people who glorify them beyond all limits.

RAZA TAHIR

Islamabad

Published in Daily Times, January 19^th 2018.