According to the World Justice Project Index, Pakistan ranks as the third-worst country in terms of law and order. While opinion-makers and television anchors often discuss the need for legislative reforms, they rarely address the politicisation of the police force.
In Sindh, top police officers, from IGs to sub-inspectors, are appointed and transferred with alleged targets not for crime control but to generate revenue for political benefactors. Consequently, crime has become an unofficial, institutionalised business. Families of murder victims often stage prolonged protests and block highways just to have an FIR registered. Even then, arrests are made only after months of continued agitation.
This politico-police nexus sometimes emboldens senior officers to commit crimes directly. In one instance, a senior officer allegedly murdered an accused instead of ensuring their security and presenting them in court. The country’s tarnished reputation in international reports seems to matter little to the ruling elite. Civil society and human rights organisations must prioritise ending the politicisation of the police force. Only after addressing this root issue can other reforms take effect and bring relief to the masses.
GULSHER PANHWER,
Johi.
