Mob Killings

 Protection of citizens is one of the primary responsibilities of the state. Effective measures of public safety can be taken only when police system of the state is organized on internationally accepted norms of professionalism, functional specialization and sound training techniques. The police system working in Pakistan, prior to the Police Order, 2002, was a 140 years old colonial legacy, as it was based on the Police Act, 1861. Under this law, the primary focus was on prevention and detection of the crimes, whereas the underlying objective was to control the local population for maintenance of colonial rule. In the absence of a proper system of public oversight to check the excesses, police could not be turned from a ‘force’ into a ‘public service’. Powers were concentrated at the upper levels in the police hierarchy. There was a great void between police and public with the consequent result of leaving the people insecure.  

Police in any country is thought to be there to protect the citizens, lock the suspects so that peace & harmony prevail. Unfortunately in Pakistan, it has been doing totally the reverse of what their duty calls for. When lone incidents occur in any part of the country police stays silent, unless you hand in some bribes here and there. Mostly incidents occur in front of the policemen but their silence drives the people of that area with rage, revenge and fury. This in turn becomes a situation which becomes incontrollable, resulting in public lynching and mob attacks who deliver justice in their own way on the spot!

Growing incidents of mob justice clearly show that the system is not working as per expectations of the masses and that is why people have started taking the law into their own hands. One Ghulam Muhammad was lynched to death by an angry mob while two of his accomplices were seriously injured for allegedly brining a woman into a house for illicit relations in Tando Adam Khan area of Sindh. The worst aspect of the entire episode is that according to local people they locked the suspects inside the house and called in police but it took no action and son of the deceased says mob killed his father in the presence of police that remained indifferent to what was happening. Seven people have already been arrested and a six member investigation team formed by Sindh Chief Minister to probe the incident and hopefully things would become clear on completion of the probe. But recurrence of mob violence and mob justice is alarming as it speaks volumes about apathy of the administration towards what is happening in the society and lack of confidence of the people in the system.Earlier, in Sialkot two brothers were lynched by the mob when some people dubbed them as dacoits. There were also media reports from other parts of the country where people caught thieves and dacoits red-handed and stoned or torched them to death on the spot. One cannot expect otherwise when even in high profile cases like attack on GHQ led to nowhere as some suspects were arrested and later had to be released due to lack of sufficient evidence.

There are genuine complaints that in most of the cases police do not bother to arrest criminals and prefers underhand deals with them and even if someone is arrested he gets released due to lackluster investigations and in the absence of reliable evidence. Fear mongering by the police and security officials has badly damaged the social fabric of the state of Pakistan. One of the repeated complaints by the citizenry is that in many cases Police officers out rightly refuse to file the complaint, for reasons known only to them. Albeit the fact that no police officer carries the authority to refuse registration of a case withal external or internal pressure, lethargy and initial inactivity of the police has become a daily occurrence in Pakistan. In some cases, even judges do not award sentence to culprits for fear of reprisals as some judges have been targeted by criminals in different parts of the country. Political interference and appointments in police have also played havoc with the system besides bruised psyche of the people due to day-to-day problems. Mob rule seems to be the rule of the day and it is time for the executive, the legislature and the judiciary to take remedial measures, otherwise the system is bound to collapse soon.Incompetency, contributes 70% and corruption contributes 30% of the 100% failure of today’s government and the rest of the institutions that it heads. Every Government department in the world today needs expertise that are educated and trained in their specific fields….look at us! The worse people who got themselves elected with fake degrees in basic graduation are the sole fathers of all the departments today. Corruption is at peak level. What elaborate starting from any department and ending on any sector anything and everything is dependent upon give and take of money. The Current government is concentrating for 5 years in power and making as much money as they can, to take care of the next four generations, they know that they will not be elected next time, they are not bothered and as the track record shows maybe after 10 years of cycle they will return to power again. Everyday life is based on ad hoc decisions and personalized dealings.

How can we take actions for a better society? The solutions lie within if we apply good governance to the existing institutions.

1). Rule of law must be made supreme for all irrespective of what background one comes from. More than 80% of the problems faced by the oppressed can be resolved this way. The police should be well paid and under no institutional interference. Catching and apprehending a culprit becomes more efficient this way. Police transfers and appointments should be done by the institution itself with no recommendations taken either by the President or the Prime Minister of the country

2). Feudalism should be abolished in Pakistan with immediate effect. 90% of the problems will be resolved once this system is collapsed by the Government.

3). Education should be a top priority for all the citizens of the country. The meager 2.2% of the GDP is totally not sufficient for the nation. System of education should be one in the country and till the 10^thgrade it should be made compulsory on all. Students and young people should be encouraged and given the chance to enroll in classes that teach skilled trades such as construction, welding and plumbing. Child labor should ban and the ones found guilty in this heinous crime should be punished severely.

4). Health facilities need to be improved on war footing. With the 75% deprived of medical cure the Government needs to spend more on this sector for the betterment of the citizens. Hospitals should be better equipped with proper medical care and staff in uniformity throughout the country.

5). Increase in minimum wage and unemployment allowances should be set up for the poor and labor class.
The people of Pakistan need a better chance in life. They are hardworking, resilient masses who are braving against the toughest of challenges. Under present scenario of a forced imposed war on Pakistan which has left the economy crumbled and has increased the sufferings of common man specially the above mentioned category of people more oppressed and excluded. An ideal society where; equality is maintained, justice is in balance, and where people feel secure to live in. The economy must enable all the citizens of our country to enjoy a rising standard of living. This will demand of all sectors of the economy - state-owned, private, and co-operative to allocate resources and implement policies in keeping with this common national requirement. Such a society isn’t an unachievable one; for I believe with love and conviction we can definitely bring a change into the present scenario. We must commit ourselves to carrying at least a few grains of sand as hope to the building site of a new society. 



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