LAHORE - Provincial legislators Friday came hard on the government for the deteriorating law and order situation, prevailing thana culture and denial to common man in registration of FIR.
Treasury legislator Mian Rafiq lamented that he was running from pillar to the post for over one month to get justice. “I have gone from SHO to the President of Pakistan for registration of an FIR against an influential MNA but to no avail,” the MPA from Toba Tek Singh said with tears rolling down from his eyes.
He also threatened to resign from the assembly if FIR were not registered against MNA and Chairman Privilege Committee of National Assembly Ch Asadur Rehman.
He said that the MNA misbehaved with him during a meeting of development committee in the presence of MNA and MPAs. “He even threatened me. I have raised my voice on every forum but received no positive response,” Main Rafiq said in a trembling voice.
He further alleged that Ch Asad has kept the people of Toba Tek Singh as his hostages. “The people of my constituency ask questions that how I could provide them justice when I could not get the same for myself,” he bemoaned.
Calling himself Anna Hazarey of Toba Tek Singh, the provincial legislator stated he will not rest till getting justice.
He also announced to walk out from proceedings and stage a sit in on PA stairs till he gets justice.
Opening debate on law and order at the Punjab Assembly floor on Friday, Home Minister Col (r) Shuja Khanzada said the chief minister was committed to get rid of prevailing thana culture for which reforms are being introduced. He also asked the legislators to give their proposals for ending political interference and giving the Punjab police free hand to improve law and order.
He further assured the legislators of taking measures for implementing workable proposals.
However, Opposition legislator Dr Waseem Akhtar stressed that the law and order could not be improved without implementing constitution and improving thana culture. He said that severe torture and registration of bogus cases is a routine at police stations in the province. Those raising voice for correcting the system are being implicated in false cases, he added.
“The slow pace of justice delivery is also a question mark on the performance of our legal system,” he regretted.
He suggested that the IGP and DPOs should not be influenced while choosing their subordinates, like the practice in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. He said that young men who raised voice against sale of liquor before an ASP in Sialkot were tortured after ripping his clothes off. He said that their video film was also made in the presence of that ASP. The students of Punjab University were also tortured by police, he told the PA session.
Urging the chief minister and home minister to take notice of the police brutality, Akhtar demanded exemplary punishment to the irresponsible police officers.
Opposition legislator Dr Murad Raas blamed the lack of implementation on law to be real issue. He said that crime rate was increasing with the rise in budget of police.
“Common man is reluctant to go to police stations for redressal of grievances due to a sense of police fear,” he stated.
He urged the House to get informed about utilisation of Rs5 billion allocated for installation of CCTV cameras in the last budget. He regretted that the police was being used for VIP duties while the public were on the mercy of outlaws.