AN SSP of Islamabad has been removed from service for a reason that he asked for written orders from the competent authority to ‘baton-charge’ PAT and PTI supporters who had attacked the PTV building and supposedly headed for the parliament.

Both the heads of PAT and PTI had earlier decried their workers or supporters for doing that in their bid to occupy the government by force and send home the elected prime minister and his government.

Asking for written orders was absolutely in order by the ‘dismissed’ SSP. The Model Town incident was fresh in the minds of the police where no politician had the courage to own responsibility though ‘Gulu Butt’ had played havoc with private and party vehicles. But at the end of the day, police officers were suspended and arrested on a charge of mishandling the situation, as well as for manhandling and manslaughter.

The PAT leader was the same in Islamabad. The PTI leader had openly been virtually abusing the PML-N government and declared march on vital buildings. How can an SSP take into account the verbal orders of his superiors and get punitive measures after political settlement? Was his demand for written order tantamount to disobedience?

There is hierarchy of authority and in such ugly situations the police officer, regardless of his title or rank, cannot decide and take the situation in his own hands.

The attack on PTV the and parliament was probably on 10th or 11th day of the sit-in. I am sure people who were handling the evolving situation were clear about the matter.

Do I understand that our government does not have even half lunatics in their folds? The suspension of an SSP is unjustified. Can someone from the government explain this situation? This is supposed to be a democratic country. An SSP is the man of the state and not a personal servant to anyone.

Amjad Habib Mirza
Lahore

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play