Delinquent officials

When we talk about the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), it is seldom applied to the keepers of law. Popular belief holds that many police officers, especially in Sindh, are corrupt and possess little morals or ethics. However, this had become part and parcel of life in the province. The submission to the Supreme Court exposing 12,000 policemen’s corrupt practices offers a slight sense of change in terms of accountability for police officers. Woefully, 12,000 is probably an underestimate but let us acknowledge that this number alone is a mammoth amount. If the court’s office would promptly act on scheduling to take up the matter, it could promise change in the system — or, at least the start of it.

Some of the crimes allegedly committed by officials include illegal confinement and recruitment, and murder. Theft and even bribery seem petty juxtaposed with these. Furthermore, none of these is a one-off offence. It appears that the occurrence of such crimes is frequent, which reinforces the point that the police are not to be relied on when a civilian is in need. It is also the reason why parents of even adults remain anxious waiting for them to return home at night. It is because no one is to be trusted, including the people assigned the role of keeping them safe.

The PPC outlines punishment for police officers implicated in certain types of crime and it should be used as a guide should officials be found guilty. Many of the offences would fall under the abetting of various crimes for which the PPC gives provision. Until the system is reformed into a dependable one, fines and imprisonment must be implemented. To put in simple terms, one must hit them where it hurts and this is the only way to affect change. As an addendum, they must not be given the choice to label their exit from the force a ‘retirement’ and instead, it should be publicly known that they were fired.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2017.

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