Lawless’ Law Enforcers

Pakistan in Picture

Asem Mustafa Awan

Law and order should be for the protection of citizens, from which they should take comfort yet in Pakistan they live in fear of the law enforcers with little prospect of getting justice. The system is ‘flawed’, costly and ‘corrupt’ with double standards.

In practice, there are two sets of laws, one for the rich and one for the poor. The rich are let off even when guilty and the poor are held guilty even when innocent.

Going to courts even for small scale family and neighbourly dispute is expensive and in some cases could lead to the spending of the entire family fortune. This is one of the principal reasons for people avoiding the legal rigmaroles by trying to settle disputes outside the courts.

The three women riding a motorcycle with all the riot gear show how the department is run which has the slogan of ‘protect and serve’.

This recent picture is taken during police tear gassing the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Zaman Park, Lahore.

The public is fined and penalized for not wearing the helmet and at times pillion riding is banned but these three police women are flouting all the laws that the citizens are expected to follow.

Citizens are stopped at different check points and if they fail to stop they get a bullet in the back with the well rehearsed story ‘terrorist escaping the police’.

The demeanor in which the citizens are stopped, searched any asked questions is sufficient to get the blood boiling. But a little’ greasing’ of the palms is greeted with instant smile as no wrong has been. No wonder terrorists, smugglers, rapists and thieves are never caught.

Ali Bilal alias Zille Shah died a few days ago In Lahore after getting arrested outside Zaman Park, the residence of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Zille Shah was an ardent fan of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. His death has raised many pertinent questions for his family and the Nation. Only time will tell whether his family will get justice.

The emerging reports regarding his death are contradictory and confusing.

Mai Jando , a poor farmer , lost two sons, son in law and other family members, in case that rocked the national media in the 90’s. It all nine abled body persons were killed in cold blood over land dispute yet the authorities presented the incident as terrorist related.

Mai Jando went on an unending quest for justice and her persistence resulted in her two daughters getting ‘self immolated’ owing to delay in justice. When finally the ‘justice’ was served, she had no one around.

Her two daughters burned themselves on September 11, in the mid 90’s, the very day the nation had lost the founding father of Pakistan Qaid-e-Azam, Mohammed Ali Jinnah in 1948. Sadly, as Quaid left for his eternal abode, the vision he had for Pakistan also died with him.

This picture with three police women speaks all that is to know as what prevails in Pakistan those who own the law, has the law in their hands and those who are on the other side count their blessings everyday to be alive.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

Photo Credit: Google File Image