Islamabad, April 1 (IANS) Pakistan’s continued custodial torture reflects grave institutional shortcomings, particularly the lack of adequate training of police forces in modern investigative techniques, like forensic analysis and evidence-based interrogation methods, a report mentioned.
According to Pakistan’s ‘Business Recorder’, weak oversight mechanisms and a culture of impunity in Pakistan frequently undermined accountability, allowing normalisation of abusive practices when officers believe they can act without consequences.
“The tragic death of a suspect in police custody, now under scrutiny by the Sindh High Court, is yet another grim reminder of the widening gap between constitutional ideals and policing practices in Pakistan. Article 14(2) of the Constitution unequivocally states that no person shall be subjected to torture for the purpose of extracting evidence. Yet, time and again, incidents of custodial violence reveal how this fundamental right is routinely violated, often with fatal consequences,” the report detailed.
It stressed that the court’s dismissal of the bail applications of the police officers involved, alongside its directive to the Inspector General of Sindh Police to initiate disciplinary proceedings, represents a necessary step.
Justice Omar Sial’s observations, it said, strike at the core of the issue: “a nation that fails to enforce even the most basic limits on the use of force cannot claim to be civilised.”
His rejection of the argument that “violence is an unavoidable tool of interrogation” is equally significant, as it challenges “a dangerous and deeply embedded mindset” within Pakistani law enforcement agencies.
“However, the fact that such judicial interventions are repeatedly required points to a systemic problem rather than isolated misconduct. Torture has, for too long, been treated as an expedient short-cut in criminal investigations. This reliance on coercion is not only unlawful but also counterproductive,” the report mentioned.
“Evidence obtained through torture is unreliable, often leading to false confessions and miscarriages of justice. In the process, the real perpetrators may go free, while innocent individuals — almost always poor and powerless — pay the price with their freedom or their lives,” it added.
The Sindh High Court’s firm stance, the report said, should therefore act as a catalyst for wider reform as disciplinary action against individual officers, though necessary, is not sufficient.
“There is an urgent need for comprehensive changes that address the root causes of the problem. This includes investing in professional training, strengthening internal and external accountability systems, and ensuring that all allegations of custodial violence are promptly and transparently investigated,” it noted.
–IANS
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