There is an old saying: as you sow, so shall you reap. You cannot sow banana seeds and expect apples. Outcomes depend on inputs, systems reflect intentions, and institutions follow the values they reward. Yet in Pakistan, we repeatedly sow shortcuts, political appeasement, and ad-hoc decisions and then act surprised when justice and public trust collapse. And sadly, beneath this failure lies a deeper problem: mindset.

Almost every social, civic, or governance failure eventually becomes a policing issue. Even tragedies caused by civic neglect are reframed as law-and-order problems. The recent Lahore incident, where a woman and her daughter fell into an open sewer manhole, was treated as a police matter. Heavy-handed actions by police were intended to show efficiency, manage media pressure, or appease superiors to only worsened the tragedy, reflecting how distorted our understanding of duty has become.

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During my years in service, I saw this mindset firsthand. Orders often demanded blind obedience: solve a case in 24 hours or round up entire families. We were told to ensure “no crime,” and when an incident occurred, we were mocked for failing to prevent it, as if the police were a remedy for every problem. Over time, authority became confused with fear and discipline with intimidation, convincing both citizens and officers that force not systems or services solves problems.

Thus, over time, policing in Pakistan has drifted from its core purpose: public service and justice delivery. It has become a system focused on survival, compliance, and managing pressure from above.........

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