THE chasm between the powerful and the vulnerable, coupled with radicalisation within law enforcement, has turned many police officers into avengers protected by a culture of impunity. The Sindh Human Rights Commission’s investigation into the extrajudicial murder of Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar shows “a pattern of legal violations, administrative failures, and negligence by law-enforcement officials”. It demands urgent reforms and underscores gaps in the legal process and the lack of basic rights. The inquiry also reveals a disregard for legal protocols by officials and “severe police misconduct”, noting that the victim was “wrongfully identified as the blasphemy suspect”, which led to his death. Unlawful actions by vigilantes in uniform deal a severe blow to the criminal justice system because ‘encounters’ destroy public trust in the police, brutalise society and provide a fertile ground for mob justice.

All too often, lives are cut short in staged encounters that contribute significantly to flawed policing and the denial of justice in Pakistan. There is a dire need for accountability within LEAs so that rogue officers are prosecuted, families are not coerced into out-of-court settlements and radical elements are kept out of the force through stringent screening during recruitment. In this case, the SHRC recommends the exhumation of the victim’s body for autopsy to ascertain whether Dr Kunbhar was tortured. This incident is a scathing indictment of the police and administration. Circumventing the law and feting perpetrators must not be tolerated under any circumstances. The line between an extrajudicial killing and a murder is blurred. Our society should know that its acceptance of this heinous practice will lead to a hostile environment where citizens, particularly the weaker segments, are deprived of their constitutional rights and justice. Course correction with better investigators has become necessary to rein in deviant officers and thwart brutal practices.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2024