THE shooting of two youth on a motorbike, by the police in Lahore on Wednesday, once again highlights a major dilemma regarding police behaviour. That the youth were wrong for not stopping when asked to by the police is not up for debate. We have to learn to respect the law and the law enforcers. The problem arises because there is a general lack of respect for the latter and that stems from the rampant corruption that prevails in all state institutions and the trust deficit that that creates. Unfortunately, incidents like the one cited above, do little to bolster public confidence in the police. After all, even if the youth did not stop when asked to do so, was the only option left for the police to shoot to kill? Surely they could have either warned the police ahead to stop these motorcylists or, if it was felt they posed a major threat, some aerial firing may have stopped them? Even if the police felt the need to target them directly, under whatever compulsion, could the tyres of the bike not have been targeted or even the lower limbs of the youth? Why aim to kill? In the post-9/11environment and the prevailing terrorism across the country, a hard line by the police in terms of security and law and order has been seen as a necessity. In the event no questions tend to be asked to explain police actions, especially in the context of killings in so-called "encounters". Yet we need to maintain police accountability and preservation of human life. The state cannot justify murder by any law enforcement agency or other armed force. There are laws and procedures that must be followed since these differentiate between the state and common criminals. Killing them without due process may temporarily resolve the issue but it will also undermine respect for the authority of the law enforcers. Pakistan has already come to this sorry pass. It is time for the law enforcers to reclaim this lost space within the nation. They can begin by holding those responsible for the Lahore shooting accountable.