By Saleem Mubarak
LAHORE: Mudslinging and slapping an innocent person in public have become second nature to some Punjab police employees.
Recently, CCTV footage of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) in Faisalabad has gone viral on social media, showing him hurling insults at an elderly man.
The video captured the ASI, head of a police post, who arrived outside the man’s residence in the evening along with two others. They turned up in a private vehicle fitted with a blue revolving light–a blatant abuse of power.
Allegations of Violence and Torture
Ahsan Ali, a human rights activist, told Grand Lines News that some policemen patrolling roads, streets, and markets throw their weight around by resorting to violence and torture people during questioning. He said that law draws a line in the sand when it comes to torturing any citizen, even in custody, yet some officers turn a blind eye to this important issue.
He lamented that the marathon process of inquiries is wearing victims down, discouraging them from reporting such incidents to senior officers. As a result, these rogue officers run riot, abusing their power with impunity, he said.
When officers engage in such misconduct, they neither serve the department nor the public–instead, they drive a wedge between law enforcement and the public. Due to this approach, he said people fear those meant to serve them.
Specific Incidents Fuel Public Outrage
A police constable in Lahore landed himself in hot water after shooting and injuring a man who was recording his video. The constable, caught with his pants down, was half-naked–wearing only underwear and his uniform shirt–after allegedly having sex with a reportedly mentally-retarded woman.
When the man refused to stop filming, the accused constable lost his cool and opened fire on him.
Just a couple of days ago, the footage of a sub-inspector made waves when it showed him slapping a motorcyclist publicly. Although some policemen present at the spot tried to rein him in, the incident had already been caught on camera.
Punjab Police Misconduct Eroding Public Trust
Ahsan Ali pointed out that such incidents are reinforcing the public perception that police brutality goes unchecked. He warned that such issues are chipping away at public confidence. The officers must move against such elements swiftly, he added.
Internal Challenges and Lack of Discipline
A police officer said that the officials are not allowed to patrol in private vehicles, and senior officers have repeatedly warned them. However, he said some of the policemen turn a deaf ear to the directives and prefer to patrol in private vehicles.
He said that senior officers are pulling out all the stops to restore public trust and create a crime-free society.
He explained that the Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and the Inspector General of Police Punjab, Dr Usman Anwar are leaving no stone unturned to make Punjab police more public friendly. However, some reckless actions of a few black sheep continue to cast a shadow over their efforts.
Accountability and Systemic Issues
When asked why police officers tend to drag their feet on taking action against the policemen found involved in illegal activities, he dismissed it as a wrong perception.
“One can check that scores of policemen have faced the music when found guilty. However, he admitted that most of the time such policemen find a way to pull the wool over the authorities eyes and manage to worm their way back into the department.
Ahmed Malik, a lawyer, said that our system has more holes than a Swiss cheese, which allows negative elements to thrive. He pointed out that although many policemen have faced the music for misconduct, much more remains to be done to reform the department and eliminate its corrupt elements.
He explained that violators are exploiting weaknesses in the system, making it crucial to prevent their return to the department.
The Role of Social Media and Media
Social media is playing an active role to expose such elements, helping the public and police officers flush out the unruly policemen.
However, Ahmed raised the question; who will bell the cat and take permanent action against these lawbreakers?
He urged media persons to keep their finger on the pulse of such developments because it has been observed that accused policemen often pull strings to manage the victims through various means.
He said that instead of spicing up the issues, media coverage should be on the level, so that police officers can get to the bottom of the matter and fix the accused efficiently.
He claimed that without acknowledging the positive and negative aspects of law enforcement, we cannot restore the public’s confidence in the police.
