A few days back, a covered wagon of Pakistan Railways containing copper wire parked in Lahore railway shed was stolen ie, it disappeared from the rail tracks of Lahore.
After media alert, the railway police came into action and found it with fake number written on it near Kharian, standing empty on the track and copper wire worth millions of rupees missing. The gang which masterminded this theft had one serving Army Major named Ayub.
They were all found guilty of this theft and the Army was quick enough to hold that major and dismissed him from service, perhaps after a court martial. It is a classic example of quick justice dispensed and civil courts should follow this example.
Major Ayub definitely brought a bad name to the Army and hence was given due punishment quickly. Maybe, he was junior in rank and his dismissal did not matter much. However, public at large is waiting for the judgement of NLC bungling case where a few general-level officers of Pakistan Army are involved. People have reservations for this unnecessary delay that all would go scot free.
In the civilian corruption cases, most of the ministers and high government officials are set free or pardoned. Only a poor patwari or a clerk gets dismissed. We expect the superior judiciary to apply the law to all citizens equally and provide justice as quickly as has been done in the case of Major Ayub.
The clause of pardoning the convict by the president in our constitution should be duly amended to ensure provision of justice to all equitably as given in Quran and Sunnah.
MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA
Lahore