Express Tribune Editorials 6th August 2026

Abuse of authority

No woman should ever have to fear the very institution entrusted with protecting her. Yet when the alleged perpetrator is a police officer and the crime is said to have taken place inside a police station, the offence ceases to be an isolated act of depravity. It becomes a devastating indictment of institutional failure. The alleged rape of a mentally challenged young woman inside Lahore's Ghaziabad Police Station by an assistant sub-inspector is one such case. It is an accusation so morally repugnant and so corrosive to public trust that it demands not only swift justice for the victim but also a fundamental reckoning with police accountability.

Such crimes leave scars that shatter the confidence in the criminal justice system, discourage survivors from reporting abuse and reinforce the dangerous perception that those wielding state authority are themselves beyond accountability. The Punjab Police deserve recognition for moving quickly to arrest the accused officer and suspend the entire staff of the police station over supervisory failures. Yet suspensions alone cannot be mistaken for justice. They are merely the first step. The criminal investigation that follows must be impartial and transparent, insulated from institutional pressures or attempts to shield colleagues. Accountability, however, cannot end with identifying one alleged offender. Supervisory officers must answer for environments where misconduct is allowed to flourish.

This tragedy also exposes the particular vulnerability of persons with mental disabilities. Such individuals are disproportionately at risk of abuse precisely because they are often unable to protect themselves or communicate their trauma effectively. Law enforcement officers should receive specialised training in handling vulnerable individuals with dignity and care. Police stations should have clearly-defined protocols requiring the presence of female officers during interactions with women, particularly those with disabilities.

RAW's killing spree

UN rights experts are the latest group to sound the alarm over India's audacious campaign to assassinate prominent dissidents abroad. In a letter, five UN special rapporteurs have urged Canada to take "all feasible measures" to protect Sikh activist Moninder Singh, a Canadian national who has received four "duty to warn" notices from Canadian authorities about credible and imminent threats to his life. The letter says the threats "fall within a broader pattern of transnational repression by Indian authorities against Sikh activists in different countries, including Canada". But what may make this particular case worse is that the threats against Moninder extended to include his wife and two children. This is a dramatic escalation from other recent assassination attempts where Indian intelligence ties were suspected or proven.

The modus operandi is mostly unchanged from at least 2023, when Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh separatist and friend of Moninder, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara in Western Canada. Nijjar has also received several credible threats and was warned by Canadian authorities. Canada's then-prime minister publicly accused India of involvement, as did Canadian intelligence officials. Across the border, US prosecutors charged Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi with orchestrating Nijjar's killing. Bishnoi, who is in jail, has been accused of working with India's ruling BJP in return for preferential treatment. In another case, an Indian man pleaded guilty to orchestrating a failed assassination plot against a Sikh separatist in New York - a plot US officials say was tied to the Indian government.

But New Delhi continues to deny its role, and the country's strategic importance to the West as a counterbalance to China gives it enough value to get a virtual clean chit. Indeed, Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney has downplayed Indian terrorism in pursuit of increased trade. Several other countries have also chosen to stay quiet instead of poking the bear. But the world must act now to send India a message that no state is above international law.

AJK goes to PML-N

The PML-N is poised to form its government in AJK as the state awaits the third and final leg of polling on August 10. Following the first two phases of the election, the PPP stands as the runner-up with 10 seats in the 53-member legislature. The PML-N secured 24 seats based on a relentless pro-development campaign, though its victory was marred by claims that state machinery and influence were misused. The polls, however, saw the weakest turnout in the state's history. This dip came on the heels of an ongoing protest by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which is demanding an end to elite governance culture, fundamental rights for citizens, and primarily, the abolition of the 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees inside Pakistan.

The second phase of the polls across the nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division witnessed a dismal turnout among the electorate. Mirroring the lethargy that marred the polling in Mirpur division in the first phase, voters preferred to stay away on account of law and order concerns, as well as a boycott called by the JAAC and PTI.

The AJK Election Commission, law enforcement agencies and polling staff deserve credit for their commitment, which ensured that polling took place without any major incident. Their efforts upheld Islamabad's credibility in ensuring an unhindered adult franchise for the people of this strategic region.

The third phase of the polls, scheduled for Monday in Poonch, Bagh and Rawalakot - the theatre of agitations - will present a tough challenge for authorities. An intriguing aspect of this ballot was the rhetoric-laden battle among allies in the federal government – the PPP and the PML-N. The two sides were locked in a free-for-all blame game, citing pre-poll rigging and rampant electoral irregularities.

Ensuring a good turnout in the remaining 11 constituencies comes as a credibility test too. Once the new government is sworn in, its immediate priority must be addressing public grievances. To build genuine trust, the PML-N needs to lead the charge in engaging both apolitical citizens and civil society leaders.