This is Wrong and Shameful … Police Must Treat People with Dignity

Owais Mughal

A few days ago I highlighted this wrong, but today after after seeing photos of policemen mercilessly beating an unarmed lady, I am again left speechless at this shameful violence.

We at ATP have long worried about the senselessness of the violence (physical, psychological, verbal, social) that seems to keep growing in our society. All violence is bad, violence by the state is especially disturbing.

We strongly condemn this police brutality. Whoever is ordering such treatment of protesters is definitely taking people away from the ideals of Pakistan. How do you expect this poor lady (or her family or anyone seeing this) to trust the state after getting such a thrashing at the hands of the states law-enforcers? Those who are responsible to safeguard our dignity.

Police reform is the cry of the day. They absolutely need a crash course in human dignity and how to tackle protesters in a civilized way. Mercilessly beating ladies (or on anyone as a matter of fact) is inhuman and not part of our culture, or of any culture. No matter what one thinks about the protesters or what they are protesting, this violence by the police is wrong and shameful. We all must condemn it.

Police or their higherups should see how much anger is building up in people who are not afraid of confronting them with bare hands. This anger needs a channel such as allowing peaceful protest or it will spill out in wrong kind of violence as it probably happened the other day in Multan.

Whether we agree with protesters or not, peaceful protest is their right. Treat humans – all humans, everywhere – with dignity. If we do not, then our own dignity is compromised.