“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” –Abraham Lincoln

Power, when unchecked, turns raw, primitive, impulsive, and self-serving. It begins as authority and ends as abuse. In policing, where law, politics, and morality constantly collide, the true test lies in how one wields power. Guided by law and conscience, it builds order; driven by ego and expedience, it corrodes nations.

I recall an early incident when a senior officer ordered his team during an operation, “Throw him from the roof.” The subordinate didn’t ask why or how dare you, but simply, “How many, sir?” That chilling response captured the corrosion of conscience that raw power breeds. It replaces moral reasoning with mechanical obedience.

Across the world, raw power has carved deep scars. Dictatorships, genocides, and state excesses are too often justified as “acts of necessity.” From Latin America’s juntas and Africa’s military regimes to Myanmar’s generals and Netanyahu’s assault on Gaza, the abuse of authority has crushed dissent and bred fear, but never stability. It is the oldest illusion of power: that fear ensures control. In truth, it merely postpones collapse.

Saturn’s moon Mimas may hide young ocean below its icy surface

There’s a saying: “I can believe a man who says he is not drunk after drinking wine — but never the one who claims power and says he is not intoxicated.”

Pakistan’s story, sadly, is........

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