The public should have trust and confidence in the police so that they don’t hesitate to report criminal activities
KARACHI: The recent motivational statement of Sindh Inspector General (IG) Allah Dino Khawaja to use licensed weapons against any alleged criminal has flabbergasted everyone. It sounds strange and raises consternation and perturbation as we have already been experiencing the repercussions of such initiatives, which were supported or condoned in the past, like killing in the name of honour, profanity and sacrilege without any evidence, legal trial or process. We also witnessed that in several cases, the furious public lynched alleged criminals brutally, but later, victims were found innocent after thorough investigation.
Encouraging vigilantism and people to take the law into their own hands cannot be justified or supported at any cost even in desperate situations. It is the prime job of the police and paramilitary forces to ensure the safety, security and protection of the public and their property, and if citizens are permitted to use weapons against criminals, then it raises a question mark on the existence and performance of our police. In our society, desperation and despondency are already prevailing and if such tendencies are encouraged, then ultimately, it will result in rioting and mayhem.
Instead of encouraging vigilantism there should be proper motivation and counselling of the public by utilising the media and other resources. People must have awareness and courage and if they witness any kind of unlawful activity, it must be communicated to relevant security institutions without delay. The mechanism of emergency and rescue services must be rapid and effective. Moreover, the most important step is to build cooperation and coordination between the public and police. The public should have trust and confidence in the police so that they don’t hesitate to report criminal activities and can play their role in eradicating crime.
Imran Ali Phull
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2016.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
