LAHORE, April 3: The proposed police ordinance is much more effective than any other previous dispensation, removing all hurdles in the independent handling of crime while making violation of code of conduct by police a cognizable offence.

It is a wrong assumption that the proposed law would benefit only the police bureaucracy, providing nothing for the improvement of working at thana level, and make police independent.

This was stated by DIG Establishment Tariq Khosa while talking to Dawnhere on Wednesday. Mr Khosa is also a member of the high-level Punjab committee which had scrutinized the draft law to enlist the province’s objections to it.

The committee has once again been asked to further peruse the draft and its opinion would be conveyed to the NRB after approval by the governor. It has reportedly been asked to evaluate the proposed law in the light of 11 questions prepared by the higher authorities in the province including “whether it is implementable.”

Mr Khosa said the Police Act 1861 was completely silent on the working of police station which was covered through the CrPC. The proposed law was an improvement as it covered police stations from operational, administrative and training aspects.

He said from the operational point of view the proposed law provided that in the first instance urban and eventually all police stations would be headed by ASPs to change thana culture and improve administrative management.

He said from the functional aspect the law would break the hold of SHO in the affairs of police station, bifurcating his powers of registering FIRs, conducting investigation and playing the role of a prosecutor. This would disallow the SHO to exploit his powers. The law provided the recruitment of only constables, ASIs and ASPs which would also address problems at thana level.

He said the checks and balances on police would be maintained through district public safety commissions, the police complaint authority, the judiciary and the police command.

Mr Khosa said for the first time in the country’s history the proposed law would make misconduct by police a cognizable offence. Those found misusing police could also be held on charges of abetment.

He said the law provided that the superintendence over police would rest with the chief executive of a province who would use his powers through his home secretary.

Mr Khosa said the home secretary would continue to give policy of the government to the IGP. He replied in the affirmative when asked would it be possible for him to get the policy implemented from the IGP holding full financial and administrative powers and the status of a secretary to the government.

“In this respect the IGP should have autonomy and authority in matters relating to administration and finances,” Mr Khosa said. “It is facilitation as under the present system the IGP does not have any powers to fire even a DSP or to purchase necessary transport for law and order,” he said.