A video of a female journalist being slapped by a paramilitary soldier went viral on social media on Thursday. The Frontier Corps (FC) official slapped the female reporter of a private channel at a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office in Karachi. She was reportedly covering the problems people face at the facility. The official was reportedly provoked on the insistence of the reporter to cover the issues of the people present there. Taking notice of the incident on Friday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar ordered an investigation into the FC trooper’s atrocious behaviour. He further added that misbehaviour with media representatives could not be tolerated. Later, it was reported that the Karachi police had registered a case against the FC soldier for ‘assaulting’ the female journalist and discharging his weapon into the air. The trooper reportedly fired 18 shots into the air after a mob tried to beat him up for slapping the reporter. The police officials said NADRA officials had also submitted an application against the reporter, alleging she was hindering their work.
Despite different angles to the story, the behaviour of the FC official with the female reporter cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Hitting a female is condemnable without the addition of any if or but. Some of the witnesses of the incident said that the attitude of the reporter was out of line, and that she had provoked the official first. Even if the behaviour to which the media is known for is kept in mind, it still does not justify a law enforcement official to misuse his powers. It is essentially under such circumstances that the rigorous training of these officials is tested in the context of their interaction with member of the public in a hostile setting.
Unfortunately, the security situation in the country has forced the state to deploy paramilitary officials for civilian duties. There is no arguing the difficulty of their jobs and the stamina it requires. Paramilitary, military and police officials on security positions are overworked, even exploited, and it is no surprise, many a time, they are found doing their duties with their nerves frayed and tolerance level low. But that is where the real test is. It is essentially the way they are trained: to keep their calm no matter how provocative the situation is. There have been instances of alleged misbehaviour of paramilitary officers to civilian authorities as well as the common people. No matter how rigorous the duties of these officials are such behaviour cannot be tolerated at any level.
An inquiry into the incident should be held, and the perpetrator should be punished accordingly. This will not only set an example for the misbehaviour of police and paramilitary officials for their treatment of civilians but will also serve as an important precedent for all law-enforcement officials that no one is above the law. *