WHEN a member of the Balochistan Assembly barged into the premises of the assembly along with a battalion of armed goons, he did not expect to meet any resistance.

Resistance from those treated as personal servants is not what the rich, powerful and militant ruling class of Pakistan is quite used to.

However, on that fateful day, one unassuming police officer decided to respond to the call of his duty and single-handedly took on not just an individual but an entire class that is the root cause of militancy and lawlessness in Pakistan.

He stopped the armed guards from going any further into the assembly and told the militants to stay out of the assembly premises which is meant for dialogue and tolerance and not for threats and Kalashnikovs.

While the federal government was still searching for a suitable date for calling an all-party conference against terrorism, SP Samiullah Soomro had already initiated the first and the most crucial anti-militancy measures by personally taking on the parliamentary terrorists.

This is the same class which was gifted 69,473 ‘prohibited’ bore licences in the last five years so that they could form their own private armies and effectively lead the terror squads of Pakistan — a task they seem to have performed with flying colours.

SP Samiullah is the real hero of Pakistan. He did what scores of inspectors-general and deputy inspectors-general of police are too scared and too compromised to do.

He is the voice of millions of Pakistanis who want to see an end to lawlessness, militancy and gangsterism.

He is also the one who understood that this battle must begin from the top. Force the toughest targets to comply with the law and others will follow suit.

A government so absolutely clueless about how to fight militancy has much to learn from SP Samiullah -– a deserving candidate to head the anti-terror organisation that has been under discussion for so long.

I thank SP Samiullah. He has set an example for others to follow. He deserves our highest respect and gratitude.

N. SADIQ Karachi