Crime and punishment

OVER the last few months, I’ve observed this scene many times around Lahore. At a crossroads, the traffic lights are out, have been switched off or are blinking on yellow; the traffic is a mess, and though there are three to four traffic police officers standing on one side, they are not even trying to manage the traffic flow. Instead, they are only interested in stopping and fining motorcyclists and drivers of commercial vehicles. Is ensuring a smooth traffic flow not part of traffic policemen’s responsibility? Is making money for the state (or themselves) their primary function, or is ensuring safety for all through implementing a rules-based traffic flow their primary duty? One of the…