Rida Hussain |
Despite the suo moto action taken by the Supreme Court on the brutal death of traffic sergeant in Quetta,the family according to various sources has said to have reached a compromise agreement with the accused MPA,Majeed Khan Achakzai. According to the clauses mentioned in the agreement,the family is promised to be given a government quarter in the Police Lines. The son of the deceased would be bestowed with a government job.Besides,the family is expected to be remunerated for the next 60 years.
The clauses of the agreement were followed by a note of apology and a pledge on part of the family for cooperation in the case. The son of the deceased however has denied confirming the news of the settlement. Achakzai is behind the bars these days. However,this alleged murderer is shown enjoying maximum facilities during his imprisonment where he appeared without handcuffs before the Court.Owing to the VIP culture,this news of compromise comes with no surprise.
Though there has been a loud criticism heard from the general public,unfortunately little score can be given to the political figures who have been left behind in showing their firmness towards in the dispensation of justice.
Not only, he committed the heinous act of killing, he also has been subjected to the offence of over speeding and driving while being drunk.The news of compromise is heavily circulating among the social and traditional media sites. If the news is considered a truth, then various questions come in limelight.
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The news has put question marks on the role of the many relevant actors in the case. There comes to light the role of the provincial judiciary, the role of provincial police, the role of provincial and national assembly alike and the links of the provision of the justice with the social class.Though there has been a loud criticism heard from the general public,unfortunately little score can be given to the political figures who have been left behind in showing their firmness towards in the dispensation of justice.
Would the compromise have been reached so easily if the deceased belonged to an affluent class?Or is power the only way to escape the trials and sanctions?The news also highlights another perspective of the case,that was the family of the deceased hopeless enough to see the perks of agreement an agreeable solution?
Even if the news of compromise is rejected could we expect a desired outcome of the case. Can we expect an MPA to be rightfully punished for his arrogance?
Even if the news of the compromise is overlooked.The delay in the arrest of the accused is still a valid point to raise eyebrows on the impartiality of the police department.The horrific death of the police sergeant is not the first case of its kind.Numerous cases have occurred in the past where the addiction of power and money has overtaken the forces of justice and humanity.
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Even if the news of compromise is rejected could we expect a desired outcome of the case. Can we expect an MPA to be rightfully punished for his arrogance?The case is still in the court, and the proceedings haven’t started yet.After the initial denial of the news by the son of the deceased, the family’s actions need to be seen to predict the result.
If left unchecked,the system of justice may fail completely causing the structure of the society to crumble.The culture of merely compensating through money is not acceptable, when the culprit is void of any kind of guilt and realization.
On the other hand supreme office of Prime Minister and the President have shown zero interest in the case along with the media cell of the ruling party too observing silence.Amid all the crisis,Supreme Court has dared to pick up the case and wants to play a leading role.The silence by both the supreme offices too speaks the value of the on duty policemen in their eyes.At the very least, a statement of denunciation was merited.
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Though it is up on the family to decide the fate of the case,but society on the other hand does need some hard examples to be set to avert such cases in the future.If left unchecked,the system of justice may fail completely causing the structure of the society to crumble.The culture of merely compensating through money is not acceptable, when the culprit is void of any kind of guilt and realization.
Election commission and the provincial assembly are the concerned authorities in this realm. No such steps have been taken by the election commission to suspend his status until he is facing the case.
It does also throw a very skeptical light on the significance of the supremacy of the law within the political setup.The most important aspect of the case that remains unsolved is that being the prime accused is he still eligible to remain as an MPA? What does the penal code of Pakistan says about the status of any legislator who has been nominated as the prime accused in the criminal case and when the evidence too seems to be against him?
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Election commission and the provincial assembly are the concerned authorities in this realm. No such steps have been taken by the election commission to suspend his status until he is facing the case.Perhaps the continued unabated failure by the concerned authorities in case might lead to a very depressing outcome.
Columns galore are written against Imran Khan for his surge against Nawaz Sharif with many calling him a veritable threat to democracy.
Of ‘democracy’and ‘security’
Perhaps what surprises us is his sojourn in the jail. We Pakistanis have probably resigned to the fact that the elites are above law. Questioning the political establishment is seen akin to the subversion of democracy. Any attempt to bring leaders and their kith and kin to account is vociferously resisted by politicians and “academics” alike.
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Columns galore are written against Imran Khan for his surge against Nawaz Sharif with many calling him a veritable threat to democracy. So Achakzai is benefiting from the same haughty mindset which permeates in our society.
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The same is true in the case of our armed forces.Criticizing individual acts of military personnel is taken as an attack on national security. Social media, as of now is being monitored to clamp-down on anti-army tweets. While it is important to counter negative propaganda against the state, exposing wrongdoings is also patriotism, something which is lost on all and sundry.Many Raymonds and Achakzais will continue to do such acts with impunity as long as they know that the law is tinkered for them.
Rida Hussain is a Master’s in Mass Communication from the University of Karachi with a keen interest to write on social and current affairs. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy.