IMRAN Khan’s instant response supporting SSP Rao Anwar for Khwaja Izhar’s ignominious arrest was hasty, to say the least. He was probably not watching TV when Khwaja Izhar was hand-cuffed and dragged from his house. A check on the SSP’s record would show that this was not the first time he was suspended for highhandedness. Even the Supreme Court had a say in the matter.

The SSP was absolutely correct, technically. How could he not be? He knew all the loopholes in the law. He had been playing this game of FIRs for decades. Section this and ‘dafaa’ that; he knew them all. FIRs go at a dime a dozen these days. No leader worth his name has less than a dozen FIRs pending against him. Ask Mr Zardari or Nawaz Sharif.

But who gave an SSP the right to hand-cuff and drag an unarmed citizen from his house across the street, his wife dragged with him and his children and family watching in disbelief. Mr Izhar was not an absconder. He was not hiding. No policeman has a right to humiliate and degrade any citizen in this manner let alone an elected MPA and leader of the opposition. There wasn’t even a warrant.

The chief minister suspended him not because the SSP wasn’t technically correct but because of his unprecedented arrogance and highhandedness. It makes us proud that our chief minister extended his authority in defence of a citizen’s dignity. Hats off to Murad Ali Shah!

What if Imran Khan, ‘God forbid’!, was himself handcuffed and dragged from his house in Banigala with his wife hanging on to him for his life and his sons and family watching stunned? That would be absolutely unacceptable too, no matter how technically correct the FIR.

‘Thana culture’ in Pakistan has reached disdainful levels; it needs no encouragement.

Capt. S. Afaq Rizvi

Karachi

Published in Dawn September 29th, 2016