Are Our Police Truly Safe? A Reflection On Pakistan's Law Enforcement Challenges

(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) In Ramadan 2008, I found myself in Quetta's bustling Liaquat Bazaar. The reason for the visit escapes my memory, but it must have been important-shopping during Ramadan is never on my agenda. The marketplace was crowded, and traffic was gridlocked on Prince Road. Suddenly, chaos erupted. Horns blared, and panic spread like wildfire. A motorcyclist informed me that a few streets away, unidentified assailants had opened fire on policemen and fled the scene.

Coming from Islamabad, this incident was shocking to me. If our protectors aren't safe, how can we feel secure?

Over time, however, the abnormal became routine. Attacks on police checkpoints near Meezan Chowk, Joint Road, and Akram Hospital grew frequent. Bomb blasts targeting police vehicles and convoys became an everyday reality. The casualties among security personnel mounted, and such incidents began fading into the background of our collective consciousness.

The pattern isn't confined to Quetta. In Karachi, Sindh police officers face brazen attacks, often trapped and incinerated in their armored vehicles. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, terrorists storm police stations with alarming ease, leaving destruction in their wake. Punjab hasn't been spared either; the Lahore police training center attack claimed 11 lives. Even the country's premier intelligence agency has not been immune to such strikes.

What's troubling is this: institutions tasked with protecting the nation-Air Force, Army, FC, Police, and Intelligence-are themselves under siege. How can they ensure public safety if their security remains compromised?

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Granted, terrorists are often armed with advanced weaponry and receive extensive training. But so do our forces. What, then, tips the balance in favor of the attackers?

It's disheartening to see negligence in our security protocols. In Quetta, for instance, police officers often gather for tea instead of staying vigilant. Security checks are cursory at best, leaving public spaces vulnerable to bombings. But the bigger question remains: how do heavily guarded convoys, cantonments, and offices become easy targets?

Is the system itself flawed, unable to detect imminent threats or defend against them? Or are the attackers simply more organized and resourceful? These are questions that demand answers.

I often wonder what drives such attackers. How do they infiltrate secure zones, carry out mass killings, and escape unscathed? Meeting one of them might unravel the mystery, but that seems a distant possibility.

Meanwhile, official responses remain predictable. Politicians and officials laud the martyrs, promise monetary compensation, and declare victory over terrorism. But these hollow statements do little to address the root of the problem.

One stark difference stands out between police and other security forces: senior police officers often fall victim to these attacks, while in the military, it's predominantly junior officers and soldiers. Rarely are high-ranking officials among the martyrs.

It's time for those in power to take meaningful action. Unless our protectors can safeguard themselves, they cannot protect the citizens they serve.

Note: The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publication.

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