Arrest me if I break law or I'll arrest you: Imran Khan tells Pakistan cops 'no holy cows'

Going overboard in his attempt to crack down on corruption, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan made an odd statement asking the police to act against lawbreakers regardless of their position. He said that there were no ‘holy cows’ and law enforcers should not be worried about anything while performing their duties.

Addressing a ceremony for the launch of the Eagle Squad of the Islamabad police, PM Imran Khan said if he ever breaks the law, the police should not hesitate in taking action against him.

“I’m telling you all today that there are no holy cows. You should not worry, if Imran Khan breaks the law, take action against me. You should take action, if I make mistake and you do not take action, I will take action against you,” Imran was quoted as saying by Pakistani media. 

Stressing on the importance of effective policing, the PM said a country generates more revenue when its law-and-order situation is stable because it ensures the safety of investments. “The capital (Islamabad) houses foreign embassies and missions, and when the environment is safe and secure (in the city), it has a big effect on visitors, and this leads to prosperity in the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the law enforcement does not mean putting only poor vendors in jail. Instead, police should rather be lenient to them but strict to the powerful law violators, he added.

Islamabad Police gets an upgrade

The Eagle Squad unit of Islamabad police comprises 100 patrol bikes for strict vigilance against street crimes across the city and was established at a cost of Rs 300 million. The squad will patrol in the capital and remain in constant connectivity with the Islamabad Safe City headquarters. The project also consists of training 500 police personnel who will carry primary weapon MP5 and Glock pistol 9mm as a secondary weapon. The bikes will also be equipped with LTE sets and could be GIS mapped and GPS-based positioned.

Stressing that action against illegal practices led to the supremacy of law, PM Imran urged the police department to adopt the latest technology to upgrade their workflow.

The ceremony was attended by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Inspector General of Islamabad police Jamilur Rehman, Senator Faisal Javed and the police officials concerned.