Daily Times

There is the concept of community-friendly policing in Pakistan that may encourage the victims to expect some relief from the police. There are no reforms in policing except some changes in KPK police by improving police stations and making them community legal consultancy and support service centres rather than traditional “thana culture” which are always dreadful for the public and even SHO’s don’t move unless bribery is showered on these cruel souls. The lack of proper training especially psychological disorders may create Model Town Lahore, Sahiwal Like incidents. Even the criminal negligence in Irshad Ranjhanicase where a UC Nazim Raheem Shah shot a Sindhi nationalist worker to death through bullet shots and senior police officers crossed all limits and took the injured to police station instead of hospital.

The police in Pakistan have been very aggressive in all provinces, especially in Punjab and Sindh. Though, there is a concept of community-friendly policing in Pakistan,laws that may encourage the victims to expect some relief from the Police.

But here, police adds to the woes of public and the bribe quagmire drowns the innocent voices sometimes the dissent voices which are silenced through harassment. Fake FIRs which are politically motivated always present bleak picture and the poor state of affairs .

There have been no reforms in policing except some changes in KPK police that revamped the traditional “thana culture”, converting them into community legal consultancy and support centres.

The head munshis mostly deal at police stations and are often called the earning machines for the SHOs. They do secret deals and get bribes from both the accused and the complainants. They even charge the complainants after registering the case and demand fuel charges along with (Kharchi) pocket money as if they have done some favour.

The depoliticisation of police will improve their performance since they will work with dedication and without any political interference or pressure

The apathetic police force crossed all human borders and took the dying soul Irshad Ranjhani to police station for investigation instead of taking him to the hospital for treatment which was the constitutional right of the citizen of Pakistan since his guilt was not proved in the light of the statement of the killer Raheem Shah. It is really ironic to note that the poor labourer’s bullet-ridden soul might have questioned that why he was not provided with first aid when sentenced criminals like Nawaz Sharif and Dr Asim are provided the same at prisons, no matter how heinous the crime was.

The police think that they have the licence to kill which has further widened the distance between them and the citizens It has evenallied itself with criminal elements and found to be involved in political victimisation.

There are several cases in Pakistan where so-called chaudhries, sardars, feudal lords and interest mafias have humiliated poor families on unscrupulous designs which were refused to be served by these poor families.As a result of their refusal, they were subjected to physical torture.

The police are always reluctant to register the case against them until a high-level official from the police or court takes suo motto notice of such massive injustice. Those who fall victim to police terrorism take them as dreadful creatures since these barbaric police personnel do not fit in the definition of humanity.

Police officials always disgrace respectable citizens with insulting attitudes by undressing the accused publicly that shows their moral degradation and non-professionalism in their dealings.

However, it will be an injustice to blame only junior police officers for such malpractices since senior officials also play in the hands of the feudal politicians, who are posted in their preferred districts.

Thus, despite public anger and protests against crimes, the failure of police officers is denied or defended until MNAs and MPAs accord the approval to transfer the said officer. It means, even IGs are unable to make transfers & postings of SSPs and DIGs without the consent of these MNAs and MPAs.

The depoliticisation of police will improve their performance since they will work with dedication and without any political interference or pressure to initiate cases against criminal elements.

The katcha areas of Punjab, Sindh are said to be the criminal safe havens since traces of every crime go to these areas but due to some patronage.Raids conducted by police and rangers have failed since information is already shared by black sheep.

According to reports, IG Sindh and other officers had issued a report in which various names of police officers were mentioned who had links with criminals. Those were either dismissed from service or suspended but later their services were restored on political interference.

Furthermore, the police are frequently involved in land grabbing, drug peddling, gambling and supporting interest mafia that is looting the nation with both hands. The interest mafia from the automobile industry even resorts to occupy the houses of person who avail any new or used bike or car on instalments for 4 to 6 months. These auto dealer mafia charges over 30 to 40 per cent interest per month and the rate gets double when the person fails to pay the amount on time. Then, the interest rate converts into daily interest compelling the poor persons to sell their properties in peanuts to these Auto dealer mafias and traders of grain markets to payback millions in interest. They are backed by the police who lodge FIRs on their complaints to harass the people and recover the interest amounts and take their recovery shares. Sometimes, these mafias forcibly kidnap the person, illegally occupy their houses and release the abductees when they get full repayments from their families.

Thanks to courts, relief is provided to these affected people against life threats and harassment and easy instalments of only principal amount is fixed.

To be continued

The writer is a freelancer

Published in Daily Times, March 21^st 2019.