Policing the police

We heard in our school days that POLICE means: Polite, Obedient, Loyal, Intelligent, Courageous and Efficient. But in Pakistan, the police seem to have a licence to harass and kill innocent people in their custody or in fake police encounters. The case of Rao Anwaar is just one example. One wonders how he managed to kill so many without any retaliation or friction. The attitude of the police with the parents of Farishta was so derogatory but that is the norm.

During the last few weeks, various innocent people either died in police custody or were subjected to mistreatment by the police, but the concerned authorities are silent over the issue. The police have become an unbridled force in the rural areas where awareness of rules and education is minimal and people are left at the mercy of low-ranked police officials. The death of Amir Masih and Salahuddin Ayubi in police custody must have rung alarm bells for police high-ups to curb the tendency of applying third degree violence on innocent citizens who have no place to hide from the police and no forum to appeal against the atrocities of their so called saviours. It is time to introduce reforms in the police rules and code of conduct. Moreover, vigilance committees along with citizen’s committees may immediately be constituted at the grassroots level to curb this inhuman torture and the unlawful use of force against citizens.

Iftikhar Mirza

Islamabad