Daily Times

There is every reason to believe that great and prospered nations have set groovy and peachy ideals to multiply their growth rate. Koban–Japanese police station — is a case in point. The police stations in Japan are not only providing their valuable services to curtail crime rate and establish an environment of security for hoi polloi but also serve as departmental stores and gaming zones for people around. This tradition enhances the trust of people in the police department, which is considered the front line public service. Fear of police, extrajudicial killings, torture cells, civil rights violations, illegal detention and denial of the prosecution to the alleged are the terms unknown to the system based on legal justice and accountability.

There is a remarkable twist of irony that the structure of policing in Pakistan is still based on the colonial period–more precisely, 1861. The rulers had never intended to establish or overhaul this department for their service to the public. Instead, they designed this force to achieve their nefarious objective through cruelty and imparting fear of police.

Therefore, the recent heartrending and grievous incidents in police custody and other constitutional and human rights violation in police stations have unearthed the cleavages and fissures. These could only be filled through moving the needle to extensive police reforms:

In the first place, there should be an active and transparent public complained mechanism based on quick response and finally dispensing justice to the victim on a viable proof. This remedy can only be operational once a 24/7 complained cell spearheaded by an officer who is also answerable to his/her officials. At first place, this strategy would be manual and then lead to online where people can, without fear, lodge their complaints with proofs against any unjust practice or misadventure against them in a police station or outside of its premises. This would, therefore, bring the black sheep in the police department under book and the accountability process shall continue unhindered.

There is a remarkable twist of irony that the structure of policing in Pakistan is still based on the colonial period–more precisely, 1861

Moreover and more importantly, the attitudinal change in the police force is a sine qua non to edge out all vicious problems emanating from our saviours. They should be trained to give respect and love to the public. On another extreme, they must be aware of the fact that their unjust behaviour and violence against public would be unbearable, which would surely lead to severe punishments and losing jobs.

Furthermore, regular inspection of police stations and crime review meetings can be an extra mile to overhaul our dilapidated policing structure. Inspections would be significant to tightening the screws on lower police staff involved in venal practices. On the other hand, meetings on crime review would broaden the picture to impede and halt the exacerbating and exasperating state of affairs.

An equally important remedy is to introduce women police desk in every police station, which would be beneficial for our 48 per cent women population to lodge their complaints feasibly and comfortably.

Moving forward, compensation and financial assistance to the victim’s family is another way to console and condole the lamenter.

Another strategy to repair the tatterdemalion system can be community policing in the form of foot patrolling, which is used to gather credible information through interacting with the public. This technique is beneficial to ward off any emerging evil in society by intercepting it in its rudimentary position.

The separate budgeting allocation would be the real plus for renewing and restoring the lost glory of policing in Pakistan. This capital must be used for professional training and equipping them with modern weapons. Regular course of learning and imparting modern techniques to coup with the crime will take illuminated effect.

Another suggestion in this regard would be to empower SHOs and junior officers by holding the resignation without the intervention of top brass. This will, ultimately, discourage corrupt and venal practices and ensure transparency and accountability.

In the last resort, no law or strategy would work until the general people are willing to refloat the beached system of public service delivery. To make the masses law-abiding citizens who are nurtured well at schools and homes would be the best remedy to dismantle Pakistan from the snare of numerous dilemmas.

The writer is a columnist, historian and an international political and security analyst