Netizens heap scorn on Punjab Police

Viral social media reports of high handedness with women spark outrage

LAHORE:

The social media were abuzz with condemnation of police brutality as a slogan of reining in Punjab Police remained the top trend on Twitter on Thursday.

A large number of citizens used the trending hashtag to past notorious incidents of police brutality and injustice. Most of them stressed the need for police reforms.

 A few days back a video clip had surfaced on social media in which a policeman was filmed torturing a woman in her house in Kasur.

 He was also hurling abuses. Reportedly, the woman was running a madrassah and had a dispute with her husband. The matter went to the police and a sub inspector (SI) supported the husband and used force to expel her from the premises.

The SI was arrested after the video went viral. Hardly a day had passed when a news spread on social media that a university student had alleged that a station house officer (SHO) in Khanewal had asked her to dance in front of him.

As the report spread on social media, the users started venting out their anger against police by mentioning the past incidents of brutality like the Sahiwal firing on a car, murder of student Usama Satti, Model Town massacre and 'ATM thief' Salahuddin’s custodial death among others.

They shared the slides and newspaper cuttings about incidents. A social media user, Mohammad Abrar, said police were meant to protect the people but "unfortunately all of us feel insecure while encountering Pakistan police, particularly Punjab Police".

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Talat Kashif tweeted, "We respect and love the police but now it is very important" that change must be brought about in the police to benefit the people.

A citizen, Arman Khan, shared a timeline of incidents of police brutality reported in September 2019. He wrote that Salahuddin of Rahim Yar Khan died in police custody on September 2, Amir Masih at the hands of Lahore police and a brutality young man in a cell of Gujjarpura police station a day later.

 He wrote that on September 4, 2019 Kasur police tortured 9th grade student who was admitted to ICU, the following day an elderly woman was insulted outside the CPO's office and on September 6 a case of violence against a woman in a private torture cell in a police station in Vehari was reported.

Zaman Baloch commented, “The job of the police is to protect the people and their interests, while the Punjab Police is involved in bullying and has always been patronising dacoits. How long will the oppressed continue to die at the hands of the police?”

Shahid Bhatti stated, “People around the world consider themselves safe because the police make their citizens feel that they are their protectors, while our police have turned into robbers and mortal enemies." He said the powers of the police should be limited.

Another social media user wrote, “Punjab Police bullying is not hidden from anyone. The victims of Model Town and Sahiwal are still deprived of justice. The police were formed for the protection of the people but political recruitment destroyed the institution.”

Waseem Akram alleged, “A girl in Khanewal claimed to have been tortured by Station House Officer (SHO) Zafar Iqbal after she refused to do immoral acts.”