Another slap, another day.

We have all seen the video clip. A team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) walks into a jeweller shop in Sarafa bazaar Karachi and proceeds to bully and manhandle the staff. A uniformed person first slaps a young man while searching his pockets. Then he turns around and slaps an older man. His sons protest seeing the FIA person manhandling their father in front of their eyes. There's a woman with the team. We do not know who she is, but she is equally rude with people in the shop. A few non-uniformed people with the FIA team are also seen beating people.

The video is hard to watch. It makes your blood boil. See it again. This time watch it like a father. Or a son. Place yourself in that Sarafa bazaar shop. Visualise FIA people treating you like animals. How does that feel?

And how does it feel when you are told that the head of the FIA has "taken notice" of the incident and, yes of course what else, ordered an enquiry. This is what the state does when state knows it has done something wrong. It knows full well but cannot bring itself to break the shackles of its own culture that produces such horrendous abuse of citizens in the first place. So far, when it comes to the abuse of citizens in this video, and the reaction of the state – no surprises.

It will stay this way. Nothing will change. An enquiry will be held, and as long as there is public outcry and pressure, some routine action will be taken. Some of the FIA abusers in the video will be suspended/reprimanded/warned/transferred (take your pick) and life will return........

© The Express Tribune