Political confrontation takes toll on police discipline

Action against cops involved in May 25 crackdown causes confusion

LAHORE:

Discipline and strictly following the hierarchical chain of command is a fundamental trait of the police but a political conflict between the federal and provincial governments is eroding it at a fast pace.

Police are the first line of defence and the primary tool of enforcement of the state authority.

Fissures in homogeneity point to weakening of the state and recent developments at political front and subsequent decisions and policies have left clear cut marks in this regard.

Two examples are worth quoting here: The Punjab’ government's strict line of action against police officials over the May 25 use of force against protesters and some actions of Lahore CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar.

After the change of regime in the federal capital, the PTI government in Punjab was also replaced by the PDM.

Even before Hamza Shehbaz had taken over as the chief minister of Punjab, key police officers, including the CCPO, were replaced by finding means out of the way.

The new police team took stern action to stop a PTI long march on Islamabad against the removal of Imran Khan as prime minister and the change of government in Punjab.

A few weeks later Hamza was replaced by Pervaiz Elahi as Chief Minister.

He also reshuffled the key police officers and also issued orders of adopting all legal options to ‘punish’ the cops involved in use of force against PTI activists during the long march.

However, what happened afterwards was that the lower cadre police officers up to the DSP rank were summoned for inquiry and included in the process of accountability.

This did not give the personnel a positive message.

Conversations held on the condition of anonymity indicate that the non-PSP officers had been making up their minds to act ‘wisely’ than as members of a disciplined force that followed the orders of the commander come what may in any future law and order situation involving political conflicts.

The police command had already been facing issues in dealing with law and order situations in the wake of the Model Town carnage as the lower cadre officers were cautious about use of any force in such scenarios.

The situation after May 25 aggravated the situation.

Secondly, rifts between ranker and PSP officers have a long history but for the first time tension among officers from the superior service is also emerging.

Recent episodes included some actions of CCPO Dogar and the disregard of requistions by Islamabad Capital Terrority (ICT) police for taking measures to stop a possible siege of the federal capital.

An FIR under blasphemy charges was registered in Green Town police station against a federal minister and some other PML-N leaders. Reportedly, the IG had opposed the move but the CCPO had given it a nod.

Also, the establishment division has asked Dogar to report to it after leaving his post, but he has acted otherwise.

The PSP officers are not taking it as a nice precedent.

Announcements have been made multiple times of a march towards Islamabad and amid uncertainty in some instances, Islamabad police asked their provincial counterparts to stop the people moving towards Islamabad.

However, the requests were ignored.

The PSP officers serving at the ICT and the provincial police headquarters have served all previous governments. The junior police officers and cops are observing the withering away of discipline.