Trigger-happy cops

Evidence is mounting that the young man who was shot dead by policemen in Gulistan-e-Jauhar neighbourhood of Karachi was indeed innocent. An anti-terrorism court recently sent the three accused policemen on remand. They face murder charges and possible death sentences if found guilty under Section 302, as is mentioned in the FIR.

Although some sections of the media are praising the police for investigating on their own, we must remember that public pressure, rather than proactive accountability or introspection, triggered the investigation. In reality, the case is yet another reminder of how the police can manipulate evidence to cover up their wrongdoing, or worse, to actively commit crimes. In the Karachi case, the three policemen were all members of the Shaheen Force, which was only set up in September as an elite unit targetting street crimes. Even then, questions were asked about how the force would be different from existing police units, since they had the same training, vehicles and equipment. The questions have proven valid, as crime remains high, and abuse of power by policemen continues.

Amir Hussain, the 26-year-old victim, was out getting medicine for his sick father. On the way back, he allegedly failed to stop his motorcycle for ‘snap-checking’, which is often used by corrupt cops to treat themselves to chai-pani. Evidence also suggests the young man was not fleeing and may have simply rushed or distracted — as one may be when a loved-one is in poor health. The alleged killer cops followed Amir home and shot him dead on the stairs of the apartment complex where his family lived. The cops later claimed he was an armed robber, and if not for CCTV footage proving this to be a lie, their version would have been treated as unchallengeable facts.

Aside from the alleged killers and institutional corruption in the police, only one other group is to blame for this lawlessness. Karachi is perhaps the worst-run megacity in the world, yet the only people that seem to be punished for this poor governance are the city’s residents. Karachi is the country’s largest city and accounts for almost half the population of Sindh, yet the PPP has paid no penalty for mismanaging the city, comfortably retaining power in the province since 2008. While the city’s political leadership quickly calls for inquiries and action over incidents of police malfeasance, we must ask why they have not been able to introduce any notable reforms to improve the situation, despite being in power for more than a decade.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2022.

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