A lady health worker from Muzaffargarh city in Pakistan’s Punjab province has urged the country’s Chief Justice to conduct an independent investigation into the deaths of her two sons in an alleged police ‘encounter.’ This incident highlights a growing lack of trust in provincial authorities to ensure justice, with concerns raised about police conduct and the prevalence of such encounters.
According to a report in Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, there is a worrying trend of police encounters being used as a method to eliminate suspected criminals, with numerous incidents resulting in a significant number of deaths in Punjab. These encounters, instead of being condemned, have sometimes been lauded by political figures as an effective crime deterrent, raising questions about the state’s approach to law enforcement.
The rise in police encounters points to shortcomings in Pakistan’s criminal justice system, where the emphasis seems to be on eliminating suspects rather than following due process. This shift raises serious concerns about the erosion of legal safeguards, the impact on societal trust, and the blurred lines between upholding the law and resorting to extrajudicial measures.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has criticized the Crime Control Department (CCD) in Punjab for its alleged involvement in staged encounters leading to extrajudicial killings. The HRCP’s findings reveal a disturbingly high number of such encounters, indicating a systemic issue that requires urgent judicial scrutiny to uphold the rule of law and protect constitutional rights.
