ISLAMABAD: During a discussion on the Police Order 2002, the abolition of the district magistrate system and amendments to the Police Act 1861, differences of opinion surfaced among former bureaucrats belonging to the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS).

The ex-officers of the police and the PAS, formally called the District Management Group (DMG), were speaking at the launch of a report and a roundtable on “Police, politics and the people of Pakistan” organised by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) at a local hotel on Thursday.

Former inspectors general of police (IGPs) Dr Shoaib Suddle and Tariq Khosa, who was also the author of the report, said there should be no check on the police by magistrates.

However, ex-interior secretaries Rustam Shah Mohmand and Tasneem Noorani believed that the police cannot work without the supervision of the magistrates.

Dr Suddle said during the Mughal era, justice system in the subcontinent served well but after the arrival of the British rulers things changed.

“Though there was the London police model which served better, the British government introduced the Royal Irish constabulary model, which was originally made to deal with the Irish people, in most parts of the subcontinent. The deputy commissioner also served as the district magistrate. As support was given to the police in Police Act 1861, everything was controlled with power. Moreover, the police and the magistrate used to work together,” he said.

On August 17, 1947, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah said the Police Act 1861 was not suitable for cities such as Karachi. The police commissioner system, in which the police commissioner worked independently and could not be removed by politicians, would be introduced, said the Quaid.

Though the assembly passed a bill in this regard, it could not be implemented as the politicians knew that Quaid-i-Azam would not survive for a long time, he said.

In the 1973 Constitution, it was mentioned that the district magistrate and the police would be separated within three years. However, later through an amendment the three-year period was extended to 14 years.

Finally, the Sindh High Court ruled to separate the district management in 1996. Mr Suddle was of the view that the Police Order 2002 was effective but it could not be implemented practically.

“As long as the police are controlled by politicians, there will be no rule of law. Our intelligence

system is not working because people don’t trust the police. The citizens don’t give information to the police even if they know about terrorists. A ruthless accountability system has to be introduced,” he said.

Former interior secretary Rustam Shah Mohmand said 10 people were killed and a ransom of Rs500 million taken from citizens in Karachi every day. “We cannot change the law just because it has become old. The Police Order 2002 was made by a dictator and no province has so far fully implemented it. The district magistrate system should be revived because it is a part of our culture that we need institutional control,” he said.

He said since 2002 crime had been increasing. “It was a wrong decision to abolish the institution of the district magistrate. Today we have only 3.5 per cent conviction rate,” he said.

Former interior secretary Tasneem Noorani said the appointment of the IGP was similar as that of the chief of army staff but it was unfortunate that IGPs were appointed and removed by politicians.

“Selection, appointment and tenure of the police officer should be on merit. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the situation has improved because the IGP was assured that he would not be removed. The army is efficient because it does not tolerate civilian interferences,” he said.

Mr Noorani said under the local government system, nazims were made responsible for the law and order but they could not deal with the situation as the district magistrate did, because the elected representatives did not have the experience and training.

In reply to a question, he said in Islamabad the Police Act 1861 was still imposed but the IGP failed to deal with the participants of the recent sit-ins because he had only 10,000 personnel. The remaining 30,000 officials had come from other areas and had different command and culture.

Former senator Wazir Ahmed Jogezai, who moderated the discussion, said the police, civil administration and politicians had failed. “The bureaucracy is also politically divided. We have best human resource but it should be trained,” he added.

President Pildat Ahmed Bilal Mehboob said the author of the report, Mr Khosa, could not attend the launching ceremony. The report said there was disconnect between the citizens and the police. No real police reforms have been done since 1947. The Police Order 2002 was an effort to improve the working of the police department but it could not be implemented. The 18th amendment further added the confusion, he said.

The report said the sit-ins of the PTI and PAT further demoralised the police. It said violence against minorities and sectarian killings had increased.

Mr Khosa in the report suggested that the Police Order 2002 should be enforced and a metro police should be introduced. The appointment of the station house officers should be made on merit. Besides, there should be a specialised investigation team. He also suggested establishing a crime scene unit and removing corrupt police officials.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2015

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