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Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
An unnecessary overreach
EDITORIAL: In a move signaling urgency, President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday promulgated an ordinance granting the federal government the authority to elevate the Frontier Constabulary (FC) to the status of a federal force. The FC, which has long been deployed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP's) former tribal areas and the troubled border regions of Balochistan – regions plagued by insurgencies, terrorism, and tribal conflicts – has already functioned as a federal paramilitary force under the control of the Ministry of Interior. However, its role was largely confined to localized operations within these specific regions. What is different now is that the government has expanded the FC's jurisdiction, establishing a new Federal Reserve Force under its command with responsibilities for anti-riot and special protection duties. This new structure will be granted powers as outlined in the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Police Order, and any other applicable laws. Furthermore, the ordinance empowers the federal government to confer upon any FC member the powers of a police officer, of any class or grade, as per the laws in force at the time. Ostensibly, this move is a response to growing national security concerns. However, the decision to elevate the FC to a federal force and deploy it nationwide raises questions about the underlying rationale, particularly given its potential overlap with other paramilitary forces. The Rangers, for instance, already operate in various parts of the country, particularly urban centers like Karachi, where they have played a key role in counterterrorism and controlling civil unrest. The necessity of expanding the FC's role, therefore, is questionable. Its current deployment in the border regions of Baluchistan and the tribal districts of KP is justified by the unique security challenges these regions face, such as cross-border militancy, insurgency, and ethnic tensions. These challenges do not exist in other provinces – at least not at the same level of intensity. The police are quite capable of handling civil disturbances and riots. Additionally, there already are a range of law enforcement agencies, including the Rangers, and even the military in certain situations. The involvement of army officers in the leadership of the FC's new Federal Reserve Force raises further concerns. This suggests a more militarised approach to policing, which could undermine civilian authority and exacerbate tensions between law enforcement agencies and the public. In non-conflict areas, such a heavy-handed approach would not only be unnecessary but could also lead to potential abuses of power, eroding what little trust remains between citizens and the government. Ultimately, the decision to deploy the FC across the entire country risks creating more problems than it aims to resolve. The focus should instead be on improving the efficiency of existing law enforcement agencies, enhancing inter-agency cooperation, and ensuring that the right force is deployed in the right context. Overwhelming the country with multiple paramilitary forces will create challenges that may undermine the very security these forces are intended to protect. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
01-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Criminal enforcers
Listen to article When those entrusted to protect the law become its most egregious violators, the damage done is not just to public trust but also to the very foundations of justice. Recently, seventy-seven kilograms of charas were recovered from an official police mobile van as it was being smuggled from Jamshoro to Karachi. The accused, all serving policemen posted at the CIA Centre in Jamshoro, were caught red-handed — armed, in uniform, and using a government-issued vehicle to run narcotics. This case is a textbook example of what Section 155(c) of the Police Order, 2002 was designed to prevent: the misuse of official authority for wrongful gain. Yet it also exposes how legal safeguards remain ineffective when criminality is embedded within the institution itself. Drug trafficking networks do not operate on blind trust. They rely on the complicity of those in power. That police vehicles and weapons were used points to a systemic loophole that allows criminal elements to nest within state structures. If such acts can be carried out so brazenly by those in uniform, one is forced to ask: how deep does this go? For every such truck that is intercepted, how many slip through unchecked? How many more law enforcers are moonlighting as traffickers, shielded by the very authority meant to combat crime? These questions demand urgent answers — not only through court verdicts but through sweeping internal reforms and an independent accountability process. Even though six police constables have been awarded life imprisonment, the verdict only scratches the surface. Unless law enforcement agencies confront this rot from within, these convictions will remain symbolic. The real test lies in whether this moment becomes a turning point or just another scandal buried beneath the weight of institutional silence. If those sworn to uphold the law can so easily betray it, then the battle against the drug trade is being lost.
Express Tribune
18-06-2025
- Express Tribune
Police bust honey trap racket in Pindi
Dozens of men aged from 25 to 75 arrested in connection of pedophile activities in France. PHOTO: PEXELS A honey trap gang allegedly operating in Rawalpindi has been exposed, with a police sub-inspector and a government lawyer found involved in aiding the network. An FIR has been registered at Chakala police station against the gang leader and accomplices, including Sub-Inspector Azhar Iqbal Gondal and government lawyer Nadeem Sultani. According to the complaint filed by ASI Ehsanullah, the gang extorted large sums from citizens using women in honey trap schemes. Charges include extortion, threats, aiding crime, and violations under the Anti-Rape Investigation and Trial Act and Police Order. The accused, Nosherwan alias Niazi, Zil Shah, Qaiser Mehmood, Rashid Ali, Sub-Inspector Azhar Iqbal Gondal, former constable Mohsin Gondal, lawyer Nadeem Sultani, and fake lawyer Ali Gondal, allegedly lured victims through women, lodged false cases using forged IDs, and demanded hefty sums for out-of-court settlements after arranging fake medical and DNA reports. The gang, including officers, maintained regular contact with law enforcement and judicial officials. Gondal and Sultani allegedly received a share of the extorted money and facilitated the gang in police stations and courts. The gang leaders — Nosherwan alias Niazi and Afzal Bukhari alias Zil Shah — were arrested in Sohawa, Jhelum. Their arrest prevented the gang from producing forged ID holders in court. Authorities say the gang had filed multiple bogus cases across Rawalpindi and other districts, using deception and fraud to extort large sums under the guise of legal action. Investigations are underway.
Express Tribune
14-02-2025
- Express Tribune
Ex-SHOs arrested over graft charges
LAHORE: Police have initiated criminal proceedings against two station house officers (SHOs) within their respective jurisdictions for corruption. The action follows an inquiry ordered by DIG Operations Faisal Kamran after receiving complaints against the officers. DIG Kamran said both officers were found guilty of misusing their authority and engaging in corrupt practices. SHO Defence A, Muhammad Sajjad, has been booked at his own police station after an inquiry conducted by SSP Operations found him guilty of taking a Rs. 1.7 million bribe from narcotics suspects in exchange for their release. The former SHO is now facing charges under Section 155-C of the Police Order, 2002. Similarly, SHO Faisal Town, Sub-Inspector Salman Akbar, and his subordinate, Constable Maqbool Shakir, have also been booked under the same section. An internal investigation revealed their involvement in corruption, leading to a formal case being registered against them.
