A few weeks ago, I wrote about the allegations of racism against Britain's most senior police officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, brought by the senior most Muslim police officer in the country Mr Tarique Ghaffur. A few days ago, Sir Ian was forced to attend a hearing at an industrial tribunal to answer similar charges brought by another Muslim police officer. Commander Shabir Hussain, one of his most senior colleagues who claimed that he was repeatedly overlooked for promotion in favour of white candidates. The 45-year-old officer, like Tarique Ghaffur also of Pakistani origin, has alleged racial discrimination against the Metropolitan Police Authority, its chairman Len Duvall and Sir Ian. Mr Hussain said his application to become Deputy Assistant Commissioner was rejected an unprecedented four times despite being better than other hopefuls.
Sir Ian of course, strongly denied the claims. He told the hearing: “It is inconceivable that I would seek to block the promotion of a senior ethnic minority officer and any suggestion to that effect would be seen as an extraordinary aberration. I refute it totally.” Mr Hussain claims he was treated “less favourably” in terms of race on several occasions and was appointed to less sought-after roles within the force rather than promoted to a higher position. He has accused Sir Ian of having a “golden circle” of “favourite sons and daughters” earmarked for promotion to the top of New Scotland Yard.
In a smart move, the racial implications of which will not be lost on anyone, the Metropolitan Police had appointed an Asian lawyer to represent its case. Rabinder Singh QC, for the Met, asked Sir Ian if he had indeed operated a golden circle. He replied: “I entirely refute that allegation. The Metropolitan Police service has a proud record of meritocracy.'' Sir Ian, explained to the hearing the make-up of his senior team, which consisted of eight deputy assistant commissioners and 25 commanders. He said he was assisted by a team of one deputy commissioner, four assistant commissioners and four directors, adding that it was not easy to rise to the rank of commander and attributed Shabbir Hussain's failure to rise above that level to a "poor interview". Earlier, Lord Stephens, a former Met police chief, had said that in his opinion, Commander Shabbir Hussain had the potential and merit to rise further. The case is ongoing.
In some of the reporting about the hearing, there is an undercurrent of racial anger that Britain's senior-most police officer should have been required to spend an entire day answering allegations in the less than imposing offices of an industrial tribunal in a less than fashionable area of East London. Yet, this is the rule of law working at the grassroot level. If there is a complaint made as per law, and the law provides a relief for the complainant, and there is merit in his or her case, then irrespective of the fact who the complaint is against, he or she will be required to answer it in a court of law.
While Commander Shabbir Hussain may or may not be successful in his claim, the contrast in the manner in which the rule of law is enforced in Pakistan could not be greater. One hears that in Karachi, the police chief was hauled up by a suo moto action of the court to explain traffic jams in the city. Here in London, we can perhaps proudly claim to have invented the traffic jam; in fact I had once met a British police official socially who told me that he had recently been on a trip to Pakistan as a traffic expert. I jokingly asked him whether based on his experiences in London, he would be better equipped to advice Pakistan how not to organise the traffic. Traffic jams come a penny a dozen here, so much so that a few years ago, London Mayor Ken Livingstone, known as Red Ken for his supposedly socialist leanings, had to levy a congestion charge for vehicles coming into Central London. It started with five pounds per day as the fee for the privilege for driving around in Central London and was then raised to eight pounds, which means that only the well-off could afford to bring their cars into town. So much so for Mr Livingstone’s socialist credentials. It has eased the situation somewhat but still, traffic jams are by no means unknown, even on the motorways. Yet, it is unthinkable that any judge would ever haul up the country's top police official – or any police official – to explain a traffic jam.
The Britons’ Concern
One hears worrying news from Pakistan about the food crisis, with social welfare organisations like Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi's planning to open soup kitchens to provide basic nourishment to those who cannot afford even that. Even here in the UK, although the size of the economic cake is much larger and nobody dies of hunger, the economic crunch is beginning to make itself felt. A recent survey has found that Britons today are more worried about the cost of living than the threat of terrorism, crime or global warming. Fears of an economic downturn are now overshadowing last year's concerns about immigration, race relations and crime and terrorism, the annual research revealed.
The poll found 62 per cent of the population is now frustrated at the increased cost of living. The Mood of Britain study found the nation more discontented than they were months ago, with the credit crunch affecting consumers regardless of their wealth and age. Concern about immigration and race relations dropped to second place (59 per cent), while crime is the third greatest concern (58 per cent). Anger about terrorism fell sharply from 49 per cent last year to 34. Most Britons (60 percent) chose the word “uncertain” to describe the current mood, up from 46 per cent last year. Almost a third (31 per cent) said Prime Minister Gordon Brown was causing resentment, with 47 per cent of people aged 65 and over naming him as a source of anger. That shows whether it is UK or Pakistan, when stomachs are not full, the government cops it. Irritation about environmental issues fell from 27 per cent to 21 per cent, with worry about the economic situation putting green concerns “on the back burner this year”, one respondent said. Anger at crime levels increased by just two per cent across all age groups but by 11 per cent among 18 to 24-year-olds, with many raising fears of indiscriminate crime. Asked what words other than “uncertain” described their current outlook, respondents replied “disappointed, confused, angry, apathetic and controlled”.n
