Pakistan is presumably an independent country, but sadly, our leaders, government officials and even the middleclass is dying to maintain the status quo and the traditions of British colonials. Last week, I was part of a roundtable discussion on torture in Lahore. Police officers, lawyers, politicians, civil society workers and people from different walks of life were part of this discussion. The aim was to discuss ways to reduce and culminate torture practiced by state agencies including police.
Sadly, representatives of police from Punjab were not in favour of adopting new ways of investigation and were hanging on to the old and brutal methods of investigation. However, police officers representing Balochistan were ready to adopt new methods and showed their agreement.
After attending the three-day discussion, I came to the conclusion that a sense of deprivation caused the police officers of Balochistan to long for a better work environment, however, those from Punjab were reluctant to adopt better ways of policing because their lives were at ease. We need to stop worrying about status quo and should think about the development of our country on modern lines so that our image in the world is improved.
ZULFIQAR HAIDER
Islamabad
