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| 29 April 2005 | Friday | 19 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426 |
Call to exclude politicians from public safety commission
ISLAMABAD, April 28: The government was asked on Thursday to preserve the sanctity of the District Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission (DPSPCC) by excluding representation of politicians from the body. The commission was established under Police Order (Amendment) Bill.
“Politicians must not be included in DPSPCC, as political influence has always been instrumental in destroying national institutions,” Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar, Chairman National Coordination Council of District Public Safety and Police Complaints Commissions, told Dawn here on Thursday.
The National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), he said, had been asked to amend the Police Order 2002 to strengthen the institution, and the most important measure in this regard was to protect the entire system from political interference and pressures.
“People’s confidence in the commission could only be restored if it was kept clean and independent of all political pressures,” he asserted.
The commission was created to monitor police performance, check police excesses, establish liaison between the public and police and make efforts to improve police efficiency.
Alamdar Hussain Shah, Chairman Provincial Coordination Committee for District Public Safety Commissions Punjab, who was also present on the occasion, deplored that the Punjab government through its April 18 notification had appointed two ruling party members each in such commissions, especially in Qasur, Pakpattan, Leah, Bahawalnagar and Jhelum districts - predominantly represented by opposition members in the Punjab Assembly.
He said in these district not a single representation had been given to the opposition despite the fact that three seats were reserved for the provincial assembly members in each district commission.
Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad emphasised the need to implement the original Police Order 2002 in letter and spirit, while the power of justice of peace as enshrined in the original order be restored.
Previously, the composition of members in the commission under original PO 2002 was eight, (four independent members from each district and four from district assembly). Now the composition has been changed to three members each from the provincial assemblies, district assemblies and independent members from all over the district.
So six from elected side and only three from public is not a fair composition and it also violates the spirit of the police order, he regretted, adding that three more members from the public should be included.
He also suggested amending the police order giving powers to the district public safety and police commission to write annual confidential report (ACR) of the DPO to the extent of annual district policing plans.
He also called for giving suo motu power to the commission through fresh amendments in the police order if fundamental rights of the people are violated. The DPO should also be made answerable to these commissions as suggested in the original PO 2002.
Parliament should also legislate, he suggested, to increase the salaries of the police officials and fix their duty hours to discourage tendency of corruption and police excesses. Besides, the power of posting and transfer of police officials should not vest in the chief ministers, he said.
Referring to the investigations, he said, the power of investigations must be withdrawn from the police department and delegated to the judicial or executive magistrates. This step, he said, would help restore confidence of the public in investigations and save them from undue police excesses
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