November 10, 2008	Monday	Ziqa'ad 11, 1429

PESHAWAR, Nov 9: Police officials on Sunday cited their preoccupation with petty crime as the main reason behind their inability to bring improvement in the general law and order situation in the province.

They argued that the implementation of the Restorative Justice System in the police stations could pave the way for resolution of minor problems among members of the communities and they would be able to accord more attention to the deteriorating law and order situation.

This was stated by station house officers (SHOs) of the city’s police stations at the concluding session of the three-day workshop entitled “Restorative justice” at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines here on Sunday.

The workshop was organised jointly by the Asia Foundation (AF), Just Peace International (JPI) and the NWFP police department with a view to raise capacity of the policemen.

The provincial government had launched restorative justice system in Peshawar and Abbottabad districts three weeks ago. It was meant to reduce pressure on police, courts and the community. Khan Mohammad, JPI official, on the occasion stressed that there was a need to change practice, knowledge and attitude of the police to make the new system run.

He said there were thousands of pending cases in the courts, most of which could be settled out-of-court that would save money and time of the people, court and police.

“The police should persuade the complainants to opt for agreement with the rival person/s instead of registration of case in petty crimes, such as thefts, minor accidents, quarrels and family matters,” he said, adding that this could be done by the police very easily because they could inform the people of the expensive justice system and court wrangling.

Ali Gohar, an expert on restorative justice system, informed that the new system was in practice in parts of the USA, Australia, South Africa, Japan and other developed countries due to its benefits. It was just like a jirga where the people settled the issues between the members of the community without knocking at the doors of the police or court.

He said that the penalty imposed in the restorative justice system would go to the welfare of the community while in jirga penalty went to the pockets of the aggrieved people.

Throughout the world, the system had been extremely useful in resolution of family disputes, the cases involving juveniles and community problems.

The mediation between victims and offenders through this system could give encouraged results.

Likewise, he said, effective justice could be ensured by family group conferences under the restorative justice and collective problems facing the community could be tackled through jirga in which all stakeholders sit in a circle and discuss the problem.

Sub-Inspector Sabir Khan, Regi Police Station, expressed satisfaction that the system could resolve the problems a great deal. “We should give briefing to the complainants that they could face financial problems and consume their time in case they register case. While, they can resolve their differences through negotiations with the rival people,” he said.

Mohammad Arif Khan, Western Cantonment police station, said that the people should be informed about the options of their cases. Saifur Rehman Khan, Nasir Bagh police station, was of the view that the police must listen to the people more attentively and could avoid lodging of complaints by virtue of their flexible attitude.