Torture and custodial deaths: Punjab Police struggle with image building

A few hours after death of Mohsin, social media was abuzz with eulogies from police officers

LAHORE: The death of Dolphin Squad Constable Moshin Ali drew backlash from police officers over the social media and public outcry against Punjab police brutalities after the custodial death of ATM suspect Salahuddin and other cases of custodial deaths.

A video of Salahuddin in police custody requesting not to be tortured if he dared to ask a question had jolted the social media across Pakistan.

His words resonated all over social media. “Where did you learn to torture like this?” (ek gul puchan maro gai tai nai? Tussi marna kithon sikhiya aai?).

A few hours after the death of Mohsin, social media was abuzz with the posts of police officials and officers with a poem. The translation of the opening verses is, “why writers of noha (tragedy) of the robbers have turned silent now. Why they have turned blind eyes now. Those who showed tongues to the protectors must be happy now. What will happen now”.

Another victim of ‘police torture’ dies

A few shared the poem with the title, “Constable Mohsin Ali”. Allegories and similies in the poetry clearly refer to the outrage against the custodial death of Salahuddin. People had resorted to showing tongues to ATM cameras and shared the selfies at social media with the hashtag, “I am also Salahuddin.

Others shared the poem with the title, “Ek gul puchaan maro gai te nai”.

A few police officers even burst out at a few city and national TV channels for writing “died” instead of “martyred” for Mohsin Ali. They also demanded senior police officers to keep at an arms’ length the media persons and should not offer them tea, biscuits and treat them courteously for writing “died” instead of “martyred” for Mohsin Ali. A few even asked to boycott them.

On the issue of drawing similarities between custodial death of Salahuddin and the death of Mohsin Ali, a senior journalist commented that each occupation has its “professional hazards”. Possibility of death is always there during police duty as well as in other professions like army, WAPDA, fire-fighters, rescuers and drivers.

However, there was no justification for the custodial death of Salahuddin in such a brutal manner even if he was a criminal. The funeral prayers of Constable Mohsin Ali who was killed after an exchange of fire between unidentified motorcyclists near Mehmood Booti, Baghbanpura on Sunday evening was offered at Qilla Gujjar Singh Police Lines on Monday.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Shoaib Dastagir, CCPO Lahore Zulfiqar Hameed, DIG operations Rai Babar Saeed, DIG Investigation Dr Inam Waheed with other officers of Lahore police officers, colleagues of Mohsin and a large number of people offered the prayers.

Speaking on the occasion, the IGP said: ”Our job was such that whatever SOPs are adopted, there emerges a situation where such cases occur.” He said martyrdom is the highest honour for a police officer. He said the Dolphin Squad constable Mohsin laid his life in the line of duty and proved himself the true Mohsin of the nation after embracing martyrdom.

He said the sacrifice of Mohsin was an example for police as he not only intercepted the suspects but chased them. “He not only chased them but opened fire. After receiving a bullet, his fellow rather than running kept on targeting the criminals,” he added.

Police use private torture cells to extract ‘truth’

The IGP said Punjab Police was fully alert of the protection of the lives and properties of the citizens despite the elimination of criminals by utilising all available resources. He added that the sacrifice of Mohsin will not go wasted and his murderers will soon be rounded up and given punishment in accordance with the law.

Investigations

Meanwhile, a picture of one of the suspected criminals, who was riding the motorcycle, also surfaced. The video was captured on a camera. His face is not much visible as the suspect is wearing a cap and his face is downward.

Police have asked the public to share the information about the suspect.

Except for this clue, police were yet to make a breakthrough in the arrest of the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2019.