Questions behind comical action of disabled man
By Wazir Ali Shah
A suspected ATM robber, whose video went viral sticking out tongue on Camera died in Police custody a few days after he was caught by police and handed over to police in Punjab. This custodial death is a big question mark on the working of enforcement agencies and the firm and prioritized tall claims of Prime Minister Imran Khan to undertake reforms in Punjab Police likewise in Khyber Pukhtoonkha and turning Pakistan into State like Riyasat e Madina. The incidence was quite complex to understand in the narrative of criminal engagement mechanism being used in Pakistan to address the social or other criminal issues. Initially, it was taken by the public as a failure of the state to enforce law and order situation in Pakistan. Media also voiced over the issue and questioned the capability of police to approach the criminal. After many critics and public pressure, the police took the assignment successfully but went beyond their limit. They used their traditional style of torture to expose the abnormal person to heighten their credibility and get praised by high officials of police department. The act of Salahuddin is no doubt condemnable but his way of life and many other conducts have remained confusing and not understood even by his father as well. A police with a murky past failed to address both his nature and gesture rightfully.
Prime Minister Imran Khan claims to turn Pakistan into Riyasat e Madina i.e. a state based on Justice, compassion and dignity of human being. It requires extraordinary high moral standard. For example, Hazrat Umar, the second caliph, would not let animal go hungry fearing he would have to answer for it before Allah. No doubt, Mr. Khan’s intention is sound good but the use of religious rhetoric in politics has remained a problem. Currently, a police under his regime tortured the mentally disabled person terribly. Consequently, he allegedly kill during interrogation. Such ruthless act happened in the country that is on the way towards an emerging welfare state based on impressive model of “Riyasat e Madina” where people can expect to get instant, equal right and speedy justice without discrimination. But, the attempt of Mr Khan is so far stumbling to chase those golden principles and failed to implement the contemporary model to safeguard the right of human being in Naya Pakistan.
No doubt, Salahuddin had done wrong but the police has penalized this mentally ill person to death whose name was tattooed in his arms so that he could be identified and directed way back towards his home. He had just taken away the card from ATM and it’s condemnable, but so viciousness and heroism is not sensible particularly when a victim is mentally disabled person of our society.
Salahuddin has been a victim of our inconclusive governing system. Before his death, he questioned our society by sticking out his tongue on camera not for bank officials or police but his comical action was positioned towards idealistic welfare state in shape of Riyasat e Madina of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar, Ministry of Laws of province of Punjab, whole judiciary. He has exposed the credibility and performance of police and the initiatives of Government to improvise the traditional unjust and discriminatory system of governance in Pakistan.
After his arrest, he had gone through the extreme cruelty of Police. The top police official had denied the claim of torture but now the current forensic report confirms that the suspect was beaten by the police. Therefore, his action of tongue in way of thumb down is directed towards the Regional Police Officer Bahawalpur that he was tortured to death by police. He may also dare to ask the question in response to the statement of law Minister of Punjab saying that such event often do happens. OKAY, you dare to take such incidents as normal then, can you imagine same torturing mechanism with your own relatives or family when they came under similar situation? Will you behave same way against those police officers in your case? The question of victimized Salahuddin is also directed towards the promise of Imran Khan about his tweet condemning Sahiwal incident. He had a promise to take extreme action against those culprits who were behind the scene? Have you not yet arrived from QATAR to fulfill your promise of police reforms in Punjab?
He could not get justice from judiciary and the police. However, his parent has again knocked the door to answer his questions by Prime Minister Imran Khan to strengthen his slogan to shape and transfer traditional system of supremacy onto his idealist way of Riyasat e Madina. Yet another logical question comes to our mind from his witty action that were there different defined system of justice for poor and rich in Riyasat e Madina? If there were uniformity in judicial system then why my justification was not taken properly from my parents? Are you much sure that the punishment of thief is sentence to death under the Islamic law in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
Salahuddin Ayubi is no more with us, but his humorous action will be remained exist and questioned Prime Minister Imran Khan that he had just broken ATM card machine but what about those who have stolen the wealth of our nation. Ex- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif corruption of $418 during his stints as PM. It’s also a question about thousands of false accounts and massive financial irregularities and the famous slogan of Mr. 10%. The question of Salahuddin is more than lawful here if he dares to ask that why these people are being given VIP status? Why there is different level of punishment from extreme-one for poor like Salahuddin and a light hand punishment is chosen on well-connected people like Nawaz Sharif Mafia and Zardari with massive corruption done during their tenures? When will we realize and make the narrative of contradictory rules fix that is being practice in our system? It’s devastating our conscious and the whole society very terribly and without any mercy. Unfortunately, the discriminatory policy has deeply penetrated in our system. Why it’s so flexible to violate and implement in sake of oneself benefits? It gives leniency to higher authorities and influencing people regardless code of conduct and corruption. The drop scene of Salah Uddin and the like many others ended their life to confront the unjust and discriminatory way of punishment but the people of higher rank can find their ways and live in relax and comfort zone.
God knows better why he was so disappointed and did such a hilarious act which become a cost of his life, it’s itself a question? However, the soul of deceased man will be in quest to find out the answer of all those questions.
Last not the least, such incidents are morally questionable and nobody is above the law to take law in his hand but the same rule of thumb must be practiced in every institutions so that the dream of Riyasat e Madina could be materialized and a common man could get justice instantly and without discrimination. Being idealist is quite easy but to adopt and implement those holistic features on oneself and into the system is quite difficult. It requires non-discriminatory, transparent and uniform rule of law in every institutions so that our action could not collide to create conflict with those moral standards of Riyasat e Madina.
