THERE was something almost cinematic about the visuals. A woman accused of allegedly running one of Pakistan’s biggest cocaine networks walked through court premises with an ease that left many stunned. No panic. No visible fear. No desperation. Instead, there was composure, confidence and what many online users described as “protocol.” Police officers surrounded her carefully. Cameras followed every step. She adjusted her dupatta, walked steadily and looked less like someone cornered by the law and more like someone who already understood how the system worked.

And perhaps that is exactly what unsettled people the most. Because in Pakistan, ordinary citizens, activists and even honest individuals accused of minor offences are often dragged, humiliated and publicly shamed before they are ever proven guilty. Videos of people being shoved into vans, handcuffed aggressively or treated like hardened criminals have become disturbingly common. Yet here was a woman accused of distributing cocaine for years, allegedly operating a........

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