Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked on Tuesday that it has become a culture among police officers to save their own skin by implicating others in different cases.
The CJP further remarked, “Police officers are pursuing the policy of preserving self and trapping others.” Police officers got registered false reports and the entire responsibility of the crimes of seniors was put on the subordinate staff, he added.
The culture of a lone police constable checking crimes in one area is a thing of the past. Now the police have become VIPs. They patrol in groups and even then the crime rate was seen to be escalating with each passing day. While posing questions to the officials concerned, the CJP remarked, “Can chief secretary Punjab give a statement that bonded labour was cleansed from Punjab? Why the writ of law is not in place?”
He gave these remarks while presiding over a three member bench of the SC during the course of hearing of kiln labourers’ case here on Tuesday.
During the hearing, Justice Ejaz Chaudhry remarked, “No action has been taken against the owners of kilns who have kept the labourers under forced detention. The poor man is not perceived as a human being.”
At the inception of hearing, Punjab advocate general and DPO Gauhar Nafees appeared before the court and tendered an apology before the bench.
The court directed them to offer their unconditional apology in writing after which it would be considered. Forced labour matters were on the increase in the country. Owners of kilns were exploiting poor labourers for the sake of gaining the maximum possible profit.
The court sought details of social security employees and registered and non-registered kilns from government of Punjab till 12th July. The information on how many labourers were working at kilns, how many kilns were operating in every district and number of victims of forced labour should also be made a part of the report, the court ordered.