Bahawalpur
The Pak Army and police jointly organised a nation-wide two-day seminar here on the modern challenges and response issues being faced by the law-enforcement agencies across the country.
The seminar was attended by various military police and civil officials from all the four provinces so as to discuss about the flaws in police culture, performance and credibility. The attendees among others included General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Amjad Ali Khan Khattak, former IGPs Dr Shoaib Suddle, Tariq Pervaiz, Shukat Javed, Tariq Khosa, DIGs Shahid Hanef, Sohail Habib Tajik, Punjab Information Board Punjab Chairman Dr Umar Saif, renowned journalists Fahad Hussain, Ejaz Haider and Information Board Commissioner Mukhtar Ahmad Ali.
Maj-Gen Amjad said a many sacrifices had been made for the success of the National Action Plan. “The role of police and other security agencies are appreciable in Operation Zerb-e-Azab. Reforms in current police system are necessary to improve the performance and credibility of the police. Latest technology and increase in professional trainings are mandatory to reorganise the police role. Police should play the role of community service provider instead of law enforcement agency,” he said.
He further said the Pak Army could not do anything alone to get the objectives of NAP but police, public and all the other institutes should get together for the success of NAP. The whole nation is united for the elimination of terrorism from the country, he said. He added Pak Army has gained the trust of all the institutions and public and we all will make the future of Pakistan.
On the occasion, Shoaib Suddle said police could be made unbiased, independent and professional through reforms, and by implementing the Police Order 2002 in letter and spirit.
Making suggestions for the purpose, he said, “We should establish effective checks and balances to ensure neutrality of police operations; establish a fair and just system of police accountability; establish independent police ombudsman for each police force; increase police women representation from below 1% to at least 10%; and FIR should not be registered without sufficient evidence.” He disclosed that more than 25 local/international police commissions/committees recommended much-needed structural reforms, but their recommendations largely remained unimplemented.
Shoukat Javed said that new urban police stations should be established headed by SP-ranked officers with financial and administrative authority. He said that specialised investigation units for heinous crime and centralised data bank of crime and criminals should be established. He further said that dedicated units for geographical jurisdictions be established having the responsibility for dealing with law and order. These units must be supported by police stations, he said. New rules of engagement to control with minimum use of force should be framed, he further suggested.
Tariq Khosa said Pak Army, police, intelligence agencies and civil society can ensure peace and prosperity in Pakistan by working together. He said that reforms in police system are necessary and there is a need to mold the policemen according to the modern day standards. Their training and change in behaviour should be brought, he said. He said that he has seen during his 40 years of police service that governments always used police for their agendas which is not right.
Sahala Police Academy Commandant Sohail Habib Tajik said, “We have to eliminate the police fear from the people’s minds. Reforms in police are mandatory for the implementation of law effectively and good governance. We should make our police stations public-friendly. Unless we do so, no reforms in the police department will be beneficial. The performance of police could be improved by adopting the public-friendly behaviour.” He further said that traditional brutal methods of investigation must also be changed. Police should adopt the latest and scientific approaches of investigation, he added.
Shahid Haneef said that today is the era of science and technology; no one can avoid this fact that without modernization, not a single goal could be achieved.
Bahawalpur RPO Dr Ehsan Sadiq said in his address that during the recent years, the national scene has been dominated by internal security issues but the country lacks a corresponding national debate on the role and requirements of police. He said investing on police improvement will lead to better security and also economic prosperity. Police should be resourced to tailor its activities to meet daily needs in a sustainable manner, he demanded.
He suggested dialogues with government and political decision makers to collectively ensure that the political security agenda is turned into action on the ground and leads to tangible results. He praised the National Action Plan which gained political support and collaborative action between different law-enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Fahad Hussain flayed non-implementation of recommendations made by the experts for police reforms. He added that reforms in police system are in fact the reforms in country’s development.
At the conclusion of the session, the RPO presented shields to Maj-Gen Amjad, Shoaib Suddle, Tariq Khosa, Shahid Hanif, Sohail Habib, SSP Karachi Aamir Farooq, SSP Quetta Abdullah Khan, Umar Saif and Mukhtar Ali.