ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday stressed the need of depoliticising the police to develop public confidence in the system.
He also stressed that there was a need to pinpoint lacunae in investigation resulting in acquittal of the criminals.
He also emphasised importance of the rule of law and an efficient criminal justice system in the society and observed that the police had a crucial role in protecting the right to a fair trial and in the prevention and investigation of the crimes.
He was addressing the launching ceremony of Police Reforms Committee recommendations organised by Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in auditorium of the Supreme Court in which the report was presented to the Chief Justice who graced the occasion as the chief guest.
The Chief Justice remarked that an effective police force was one that is assisted by the community they serve as they are confident that justice will be done.
He stressed that the existing criminal justice system urgently required reform as a whole. Moreover, especially, updating the law for police governance and management was required to ensure a neutral, responsive, accountable and transparent force.
He said that the police force could only function efficiently when they are given administrative, operational and financial autonomy.
He stated that the Police Reforms Committee was established with the objective of an independent and impartial police force and its recommendations are very useful which outline duties of police officers, separation of investigation procedures and composition of the Commission to promote transparency.
He stated that by implementation of these recommendations, the trust deficit between the police and public would decrease and would create a competent, efficient and responsive police force.
The Chief Justice applauded efforts and contribution of the members of the PRC who worked day and night to complete the Report.
On May 15 last year, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar as Chairman LJCP had constituted the PRC consisting of serving and former Inspectors General of Police for formulating recommendations for police reforms.
A Steering Committee headed by designated Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa worked on implementation of the recommendations.
The launching ceremony was participated by serving and retired Judges of Supreme Court, Chief Justices of the High Courts, Federal and State Ministers, Chairmen Parliamentary Committees on Law and Interior, Federal and Provincial Secretaries, members of Parliament, Inspectors General of Police of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad Capital Territory, diplomats, lawyers, academia, federal and provincial police officers, representatives of INGOs/NGOs, international development partners and media persons.
In his introductory remarks, Dr Raheem Awan, Secretary LJCP, stated that the Commission’s Secretariat was assisting the Supreme Court in many public-interest cases and similarly, by virtue of directions of Chief Justice, it provided support to the Police Reform Committee with the ultimate aim of the creation of an efficient and professional police force to meet the security, law and order related challenges in the country.
He also thanked Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, designated Chief Justice, for benefitting the Committee with his guidance.
He also thanked the members of the Committee for their tireless efforts.
The convener of Police Reforms Committee, former IGP Sindh Afzal Ali Shigri, stated that performance of police was directly linked to delivery of justice and performance of judiciary and criminal justice system.
He stated that in the past, number of efforts had been made to improve the performance of criminal justice system; however, the present initiative was distinct for being initiated by the Supreme Court.
Former IGP Dr Shoaib Suddle presented the vote of thanks and emphasised the improvement of policing in the country and active engagements of the governments in the updating and modernising the police laws.
