Every individual's death is death of a human being. Even a criminal or a fugitive has recourse to law. What one would have expected of the law minister was not a sweeping knee-jerk out of hand rejection of allegations of human rights violation but assurances of proper investigations into the questions raised.

Coming as it does from the law minister, the upholder of the law of the land, his observations are likely to breed serious misgivings in the minds of the people. Also, the inherent danger of his statement is that it is likely to be taken as a carte blanch by RAB.

So far about 60 persons have been killed in crossfire with RAB. Admittedly most of those killed were hardened criminals or were on the wanted list of the police. Apart from deaths in crossfire several deaths in custody of RAB are also on record.

No body questions the right of the law enforcing agencies to self-defence against hostile actions or their right to resort to appropriate measures within the bounds of law, against those that hinder performance of their duty.

We had in the past lauded the efforts of the government to arrest the adverse law and order while at the same time urging caution against the propensity to go against the law of the land and human rights in dealing with the criminals.

No doubt RAB has struck fear in the minds of the criminals who are on the run while at the same time it has infused a sense security in the minds of the common man. However, there are some aspects of the issue that needs dilation as well as the unimpaired attention of the government.

There is a pattern in the incidents of death in RAB crossfire on which we cannot but express our serious reservations. The incidents appear to be repetitive and the explanations are so transparent as to lead one to believe that the incidents are stage-managed and planned.

The government must not resort to 'wrong' in order to do a 'right.' While providing safety to the people is an obligation of the government it does not detract from the fact that death in crossfire cannot be explained away as natural and inevitable consequence of RAB action.

Apart from the fact that these explanations are legally untenable and morally wrong, the incidences of crossfire deaths impact our image abroad as a country supposed to be disposed towards the order of law in maintaining law and order.