EVEN as Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif made the admission that the police and subordinate judiciary were not providing swift and cheap justice to the people, the revelation of how the Punjab police wasted government money provided an example of the kind of inefficiency and dunderheadedness that causes the police to be not just a byword for corruption, but also stupidity. Mian Shahbaz conceded that the increase made in the salaries of the police and the subordinate judiciary had not yet yielded the desired results in the form of the safety of the lives and properties of the citizen, while addressing the Punjab Investment Conference 2010. Mian Shahbaz took policing more as a condition of investment, rather than the social good in itself that it should be, and that might be where the problem lies. Protection of the people is the primary function of the government, and attracting investment comes after. Increasing salaries of police and the subordinate judiciary was welcome, but the impact was diluted by the ravages of inflation. Also, just throwing money at the problem was not going to achieve anything; it was just an enabling factor if a change in the overall culture was sought. However, nothing was done to bring about that change, and it was expected, or rather hoped, that the pay raise alone would deliver results. However, the Punjab police command has been guilty of a piece of negligence over the import of a piece of equipment that shows why pay raises affect nothing. By applying late to the Federal Finance and Commerce Ministry for the necessary NOC, the Punjab government has been stuck with an import duty of Rs 27 million, even though law enforcing agencies have been waived all duties on equipment used in the War on Terror by a Federal government decision. However, the Punjab polices officers handling the matter, despite their pay hike, could not quote the letter intimating the decision, which had been sent to all concerned. The pay increases were made unconditionally, and the problem was expected to disappear automatically. However, with the police concentrating on the War on Terror, and on the protection of its senior officers, and with providing security to the Chief Minister and other high-ups in the government, it was virtually impossible to bring about the basic changes needed to make the police perform its true function: provide the people security of life and property, affordably, as a social good, not a privilege for the investors to enjoy. The provincial government bears primary responsibility for law and order. If it does not meet it, it will be duly punished at the hustings.