How to improve law and order

Was the IGP Punjab changed to ensure obedience, or to improve the law-and-order situation? If the latter, it was not particularly effective, for there was the gang-rape on the motorway, which the federal Motorway Police declared was out of their jurisdiction. While Imran Khan was thus absolved of all responsibility, Usman Buzdar was not, because it seems that that part of the Motorway had not been handed to the Motorway Police. The Punjab Highway Police has started patrolling the area.

So the incident falls in the jurisdiction of the Gujjarpura police station, which has duly registerted the case. One prong of the investigation is modern: samples have been sent to the Punjab Forensic Labs for testing. Meanwhile, the police is applying more traditional methods, but which have stood the test of time. They have arrested everyone in sight, and are probably beating them all to within an inch of their life until one confesses. Not all are guilty. The rest will be duly released, but only after their relatives have paid a fee for the copper’s kharcha paani (expenses for water).

Some susects have been identified, by matching DNA, and possessing stolen ATM cards, but nothing beats a confessional statement made before a magistrate under Section 144, freely given and without duress, where the prisoner says whatever he has been told to. What is needed is an IGP of the old school, hard of hand and vast of paunch. Whatever the merits of the new man, and I am sure they are many, he does not inspire fear.

And it hasn’t helped that the CCPO Lahore has tried to deflect blame onto the victim. Just a while ago, he must have been on top of the world, for he was valued enough for the IGP Punjab to be sacked because he hadn’t been consulted over his posting. But now, he objective, realistic, frank assessment of the situation was being criticized. Even though what he said is merely police wisdom: it’s always the victim’s fault. The CCPO would rightfully reject all those allegations that he has been posted to make sure that the PTI wins the coming local body polls. If he had not been neutral and unbiased, he would have immediately declared Nawaz Sharif responsible. After all, if he hadn’t built the motorway, the incident wouldn’t have happened. And would it have been difficult for the police to produce three or more witnesses who had seen Nawaz scurrying away from the scene, a guilty look on his face, at the time of the incident? Of course, Nawaz being in England was something that his lawyer could raise at the time of the trial.

Nawaz is not accused in this case, which musty make PTI supporters wonder if the CPO Lahore will deliver positive results, as he is expected to in the coming local body polls. Look, Mian Nawaz has already been declared a proclaimed offender in other cases, so would it make much difference if he was declared one in this?

It seems Mian Nawaz is being accused, in the Toshakhana reference, of getting for himself, a car which was gifted to him on a visit abroad.

Is it a coincidence that the Lahore High Court ordered the police to desist from thew practice of using vehicles which are case-property. Some years ago, some such vehicles were plied for hire as intercity taxis, with you-know-who quietly pocketing the profits. One can imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth in NAB headquarters among investigators disappointed after having their hopes raised by NAB applying for the vehicles in the Toshakhana reference.

However, both the PTI and NAB should be ready for the schoolchildren of Punjab giving a massive outpouring of support for Nawaz. Schools are reopening tomorrow, and you can expect the young kids to imitate Nawaz. All of them will be saying that they are too sick to go to school.

And if anyone challenges them, they will all cough in unison. Of course, they won’t claim to have a low platelet count, but an upset stomach. Or a sore throat. But Imran Khan is not paying attention. He is watching the situation in Belarus carefully, where the protests againdt President Alexander Lukashenka are proceeding apace. He has just seen the fall of the Lebanese PM, merely because of the fertilizer blast. Both have allegations of corruption against them. Imran wants to know why no one asked his permission first.