Apropos: “‘Unfortunate incident’ in Bahawalnagar: Joint inquiry to be conducted: ISPR”

Apropos: “‘Unfortunate incident’ in Bahawalnagar: Joint inquiry to be conducted: ISPR”

Reference: https://www.brecorder.com/news/40298267/unfortunate-incident-in-bahawalnagar-joint-inquiry-to-be-conducted-ispr; https://www.independenturdu.com/node/165566

Bloody noses and solidarity may work fine in a game of boxing, they tend to go less well together in actual life.

Although a statement from police on Musk’s X told spectators (sic) that an event in Bahawalnagar took place because police had not followed standard operating procedures (SOPs),[1] it did not say that militarymen by beating up those procedures-violating cops also did not follow SOPs – unless under the doctrine of inseparation of powers held dear by Pakistan Army, it is perfectly the rule of law to beat up fellow policemen with whom they are otherwise in deep solidarity.

In absence of systemic abuse favoring one institution, personnel belonging to that institution, when faced with apparent violation of SOPs, would call upon court of law to adjudicate. Such systemic abuse, enshrined in Pakistan military’s psyche by its several usurpations of legitimate rule, has enforced its impatience, more than the average citizen’s, with the tediously long proceedings of court of law as well as lawyers’ argumentation, which bores people even more than politicians’ bickering.

Despite the fact that Pakistan Army lacks locus standi (reason for that provided in the previous paragraph) to demand of police to follow SOPs, a court of law will adhere to doctrine of probable cause that presently stems from separation of power (while, in Islamic terminology, from Hudood). After weighing upon the matter, hence, if a court of law had reached the conclusion that police lacked probable cause, the verdict will be: whereas possession of a given weapon may be illegal, its confiscation was equally illegal. Instead of taking that scenic route, personnel of Pakistan Army chose gory violence.

Coda:

Apropos: سندھ پولیس کے اہلکاروں کا کیڈر تبدیل کرنیکا فیصلہ کالعدم

آپ سے صوبہ سنبھل رہا ہے نہ ہی اپنا ادارہ، جسٹس مسرت ہلالی کے ریمارکس[2]

As judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan have already resolved all problems pertaining to their pillar, Pakistani public will be pleased if, on deputation, Justice Musarat Hilali was sent to Pakistan Police to solve its problems as well.

---

[1] Note that the legalese contained in the statement successfully avoids mea culpa, and this scribe has paraphrased it.

[2] Daily Aaj, Peshawar: Volume 35 Number 98 (2024-107), page 8.