Malik M Aslam Awan
MISUSE of official authority is rampant practice in state departments, which is sapping the sapling of justice system instead of ramifying to be a formidable entity to deliver justice. It is horrible and most alarming to note that the dispensation of justice and its reverse torrential flow to civil society is causing the society to be stagnant to disseminate malignant sentiments towards the state functionaries. This malpractice has risen up so high and deep rooted in civic texture that hectic efforts would take long time to refurbish the old shattered house of justice. The dispensation of justice is mostly brought out through Police Department, which has lost its credibility, even people as well as intellectuals are hopeless of any change in the old shabby, staggering, odorous system. The execution of law and order is maintained through Police and the masses have not even an inkling of doubt that Police is incorrigible and even drastic changes coupled with revolutionary measures to overhaul the Police system will not yield fruitful results. In every government department – from bottom to top – misuse of official authority is exercised without any lawful hindrance. Accountability organs of state seem helpless in exercising their authority impartially and the norms of justice are tramped mercilessly and recklessly even the already voicing against injustice become a new target of new kind of injustice.
Prime Minister Imran Khan voiced loudly against injustice and disparity in civic society. He was most vibrant about rampant injustice in societal structure and misuse of official authority. He voiced vehemently that the PML(N) has exercised cruel misuse of power to loot and squander the public exchequer and laundered the ill-gotten fabulous money abroad to erect business empires, purchase of costly flats and squandering public money on their pompous lifestyle. He was, then, the staunch supporter of merciless accountability and recover the ill-gotten money from the public fleecers. About two and half years have passed and become a part of past without yielding concrete results. The cart of government is still standing on the Zero Point, with old engine and torn-out wheels, it is hard to move even an inch, even the next two and half years will pass away gainless. The main reason behind this utter failure to execute a drastic change is the rampant bureaucracy and shabby police system. Unfortunately masses have availed no advantage of the existence of community policing. Despite the most vibrant promises of a “New Pakistan” we are going to see the deterioration in the old one – that of the age of PML(N), which somewhat delivered to the relief, comfort and ease of common man. It would be appropriate to remind the PM that he was the ardent and articulate speaker of revolutionary change in police and justice system, but unfortunately he is now at zigzag and crossroads, where and which road to step forward, probably he don’t know the direction. The core members of Tehreek-e-Insaf have executed a strong web, with the collaboration of bureaucracy, which have hatched conspiracies to entangle him in feuds with the opposition, instead of bringing changes for the welfare of the common citizens, who have pinned their hopes that the PTI government would bring ease and comfort in their life but un-luckily the bureaucracy emerged as winner and the masses remained the losers, as is their ever destined fortune, since the creation of Pakistan.
Here I would quote a grave injustice which would amply elaborate the law an order situation of the country. Being enthusiastic with the passion of patriotism, Maria Bibi – a social activist – highlighted the wide-scale embezzlement in Ten Billion Tsunami Project, initiated by the IK Government. It must be reminiscent that IK Government is the pioneer of the project earlier in KP and NAB has seized the record of KP Plantation Project, because a lot of charges connoting embezzlement in the billion tree project were leveled by different knowledgeable sources. Maria Bibi is a social activist, having dreams in her eyes but the Jungle Mafia having under-hand, illegal collaboration with police officials got two fake cases against her and despite the cases being proved as fake, fabricated and concocted the District Police Officer is hell-bent to cause affliction to the social activist. There are so many and uncountable stories of injustice in the society, where even in rape and women harassment cases criminals got illegal relief from police and the victims of heinous crimes have no ground to escape to lead honourable life.
It is embarrassing reality of our police and justice system that police officers act as rampant horse and don’t care the pros and cons of investigation and the guiding principles of Apex Court in respect of investigation which are strictly binding as enacted law on the police officials. The drum beat of police reforms has no sanctity behind it because there are already enough laws to tam the rampant horse of police department, the need of the hour is to make these laws strictly binding without any discrimination, and the rampant horses of police department, irrespective of their office – highest or low – must be brought to book to set the examples of sending them behind the bars on the commission of crime so that there may not be a single case of misuse of authority. Nepotism and misuse of official authority erode the sacred walls of justice system, which falls with a bang. No country can exist and survive long, being shorn of the indiscriminate and binding justice. The saying of Hazrat Ali (RA) is often quoted which reads as follows:- Society can exist in Atheism but not in the atmosphere of injustice.
—The writer is a freelance columnist and independent analyst based in Lahore.
