All citizens are equal and deserve the same level of protection from the police
KARACHI: Over the past decade or so, we have seen a rise in security protocols and entourages following influential personalities as they go about their routine lives. While sometimes they are private security guards, most of the time our police forces are deployed for the protection of a few in influential positions. Even though they are meant to provide security to the person they have been assigned to, they are mostly seen trying to ensure their entourage does not have to deal with traffic rush and abide by the traffic laws.
This is especially the case in Karachi, where police escorting these VVIPs sound their blaring sirens at every red traffic light and traffic jam, so that they may get their way through the scores of vehicles that are following the traffic laws patiently. Sometimes they may even resort to assaulting the people who may get in their way with utter disregard for the law.
Despite the taxes of ordinary citizens being used to maintain the police force, most of the force is deployed for the security of a few, and common citizens rarely enjoy their protection. With such a behaviour, it is no surprise that our police force manages an abysmal score from citizens in terms of how trustworthy they perceive their protectors as.
While the new government has placed emphasis on ending this extravagant culture of protocols by introducing austerity measures, we are yet to see many people give up enjoying this privilege. Moreover, police reforms are needed to train the officers regarding legalities and the jurisdictions they have in such a capacity, while also empowering them so that they may not be influenced by the people they have been assigned to. The practice of police protocols also needs to stop as most of the resources are used to protect a few, while ordinary citizens are left unprotected. All citizens are equal and deserve the same level of protection from the police.
Arshad Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2019.
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