LAHORE-Inspector General Police Punjab Shaukat Javed on Monday said that necessary changes in Police Order-2002, were on the cards, as the department had sent its recommendations to the federal government to restore the previous system of "watch and ward", as a result of which, the operation and investigation wings of the department would be given under the control of one police officer at all levels. "Some provisions of the Police Order can be implemented while a few don't suit the ground realities. The important aspect of unity of command has also been compromised in the new law", said IGP Shaukat Javed in a penal interview to The Nation, Nawa-i-Waqt and Waqt TV at Hameed Nizami Hall on Monday. Earlier, the Punjab Inspector General Police Shaukat Javed held separate meetings with Editor-in-Chief, Nawa-i-Waqt, Majid Nizami and Editor, The Nation, Arif Nizami at their offices. He was of the view that separation of investigation and operation functions in police department under the new law was creating practical difficulties not only for the people but also for the police hierarchy. Both these functions should be placed under the command of one police officer, he opined, and said that recommendations in this regard have been sent to the federal government to amend the police order, 2002. He said complete enforcement of police order was not possible as the new police law lacked unity of command, so vital for smooth functioning of the police department. He said that in view of some practical difficulties confronting police department under the police order, some radical changes were being brought within the police department without disturbing change of command system. He said that better results could not be obtained unless one person would be given full powers of operation and investigation. Contrary to the Police Order 2002, the IGP said, a decision had been taken to give all powers to the SHO for better handling of matters of both operations and investigations wings at police station level. Similarly, this decision would also be implemented at Police Regions level, as administrative powers exercised by regional police officers would also be rationalised to suit the current requirements. Recommendations in this regard have been sent to the Punjab Chief Minister for final approval, he said. Shaukat Javed said the civil and military bureaucracy, society, politicians and government departments were jointly responsible for the current disorder in the country, besides the police department itself. "Now it is the time to bring about real changes for improvement in the system, and not just a change for the sake of change. We, on our part, are committed to ensure revolutionary changes in policing system", he observed. The IGP said that like other parts of the country, the Punjab was among those confronting most serious challenge of terrorism and the police force is all set to give tough time to the enemies of the country in this regard. To resolve the issue of terrorism and improve the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, it is the need of the time to change country's foreign policy and its international relationships. Moreover, Shaukat Javed said true picture of Islam should be portrayed by minimizing risks of terrorism in the country. Despite all, the IGP said Punjab police have managed to trace 80 per cent cases of terrorism so far. To a query, the Punjab Inspector General said that there was no undue political pressure on the Police department by the present government. He, however, added that the political pressure could be justified in some matters to reform the department particularly to bring changes in law. He said Punjab police would welcome the political involvement regarding earlier redressal of public grievances and making improvement in law and order situation. He made it clear that there should be no political pressure regarding administrative matters of the Punjab police department. He disclosed that the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif had given him absolute free hand in handling all the administrative matters of the Punjab police. To another question, the IGP made it clear that the police encounters across the province were absolutely genuine and based on reality. Giving reference in this regard, he disclosed that as many as 27 police encounters were reported during first six months of the last year 2007 while in the same period in 2008, the numbers of the encounters are just 18. Shaukat Javed made it clear that Punjab police has received no 'orders' from the CM Shahbaz Sharif about 'police encounters' saying that he was ready to defend his claims in this regard at any forum. Substantiating his claim, he said present judiciary is independent and keeping a close eye on all such encounters. Apart from one, the IGP said that all the police encounters had been declared genuine in the judicial inquiries. The IGP said that police department was undergoing reforms in police structure to make it one of the most disciplined forces of the country. The purpose was to provide relief to the masses in its true spirit. The IGP said the unity of command would be ensured at the SHO, DSP and DPO level regarding functioning of investigation and operation wings. To another query he said "I do not believe in crime statistics to judge the police's performance as had been done in the past". He said ground realities should also be taken into consideration and he believed in it. He said Police, as the primary law enforcement agency in the Punjab, bears the responsibility of providing safety and security to the people by controlling crime and maintenance of public order. To achieve this goal, the Punjab Police have adopted a policing strategy in which emphasis would be laid on community participation to solve problems, he maintained. This strategy also incorporates the reforms that have been initiated by the Federal and the Provincial Government, he said. To another query, he said that it would be premature to recruit new force in the Punjab Police without having a better infrastructure regarding training courses. "Training of such a massive police force with a view to enable them to face challenges of increasing crime, public order problems and terrorism etc. is a gigantic task. It requires large number of properly equipped and staff training institutions and more importantly, a proper Training Branch for policy making, planning, training need analysis and also for monitoring and evaluation of training institution", the IGP said. When asked the IGP said that the Chief Minister Punjab has shown keen interest in introducing shift system and eight-hours duty time in the police department to get better results from the force. The matter is under process, he said adding that the decision to this effect will be taken in the larger interest of police jawans as well as the public. He said that for the first time relief was being provided to the general public regarding their complaints through 'open door policy' as all the police officers including the SHOs, SPOs, SPs and DPOs have been made available at their respective offices daily. Besides this, the IGP said the other senior police officers like the RPOs, CCPO and he himself were listening to the complaints of the public at offices on daily basis. Reward and punishment system introduced recently was another remarkable example besides the Inspection & Vigilance Cell functioning at CPO to keep a close check on police officers. About posting of police officers having bad repute, the IGP said that Chief Minister himself took keen interest in this regard and the most of postings of the senior officers were made on merit across the province.