Passports for the rich
March 30, 2019
Policing – people vs processes
March 30, 2019

Police deserve respect and protection

At approximately 5:30pm, on Saturday the 2nd March, at the Gizri Boulevard and Gizri Avenue intersection, a reddish maroon Suzuki that had jumped the red light was asked by a duty policeman to pull over. The driver deceptively slowed down but then accelerated, as he figured out the visible helplessness of the lone police constable. By this time this conscientious constable was in front of the car, hoping that it would force the driver to stop. The driver however kept moving for about 10 feet with the policeman dangerously clinging to the bonnet. As the car accelerated, the policeman was dislodged and fell down, fortunately without any serious injury.

In the process of saving his life, the policeman could not note down the car number. However, a citizen watching this entire event chased the runaway vehicle, noted down its registration number and passed it on to the duty constable (still recovering from the trauma) as well as to senior police officials. BKN-735, Suzuki 650 cc, should have been sufficient information for the police to nab the runaway vehicle in a matter of a few hours. Sadly, our police, designed solely to serve the political elite has no mechanisms in place to protect ordinary policemen or citizens.

This small incident is a classic representation of the helplessness, vulnerability and cruelty to which our policemen have been exposed, while performing their duties at the traffic signals. Two years back an MPA in Balochistan ran over and killed a traffic policeman on duty, while Karachi has been losing over 100 policemen every year to crime and violence.

A weak, helpless and scared police force reflects negatively on the police leadership. The inability of the police to stop even a Suzuki, without the fear of being trampled by our violent elite, appears to have taken away all respect and self-esteem of our policemen. The IG Police must immediately intervene to provide the training, equipment, systems, communication, transports and support needed to enable the policemen to perform their basic job effectively, without fear and with dignity.