It is deeply disappointing and equally infuriating when politicians in matter-of fact terms trivialise the persecution and injustices that are enacted on the whims of the beneficiaries of their political aegis.
Amid reports that absconding police officer Rao Anwar enjoyed his blessing, former president Asif Ali Zardari put his weight behind the suspended SSP. His statement comes on the heels of the absconding officer being a no-show at his hearing where the court had him to surrender himself, thus incurring contempt of court.
Mr. Zardari has since condemned extrajudicial killings and said the he “regrets” his “unwitting remarks” – but the damage was done; throughout the day the Zardari’s ostensible support of Rao Anwar was discussed and condemned ubiquitously.
Furthermore, statement disavowing Rao’s culpability is problematic on many fronts, the first one being that it seeks to not only absolve Rao but actually commends him as a paragon of integrity. Secondly, it seeks to cast shade at an ongoing court proceeding that has unequivocally considered his behavior as illegal and his absence as contempt of court to evade due justice. Thirdly, his statement reduces a highly sensitive, ethnically and politically nuanced issue to binaries of political loyalties and service.
The extrajudicial bravado that is instilled in the Sindhi Law enforcement is a residue of ‘Operation clean up’ that affords ex-officers like Rao political backing. Such sponsorship from the political elite is like a hall-pass in bending the law to suit personal agendas.
Where the mobilisation and mourning of the Pashtun community still holds sway for due justice for Naqeebullahs murder, such callous words and evasive disregard on the part of the leader of that particular province is lamentable. If the ex-president thinks he is making a case for the disgraced ex-SSP, he is sadly mistaken.