LAHORE, Sept 9: The implementation of certain provisions of the Police Order 2002, like the appointment of SPs for investigation, might extend beyond the deadline of Sept 30 set by the prime minister.

This was stated by the National Reconstruction Bureau consultant on police reforms, Dr ZU Khan, while talking to reporters after a news conference here on Tuesday.

The news conference was held following a moot of district safety commissions in the province in which the bodies were explained their role and powers and told how to make the vital policing plan for their cities.

At the press conference, Mr Khan sounded hopeful about implementation of the police order by Sept 30, but said this did not mean that everything would have become functional by then. The law would have been fully implemented if the deadline had been set earlier, he said.

He denied the impression that the deadline had been dictated by the Asian Development Bank, which was extending a loan for implementation of the law. But, he said, there had certainly been pressure on that front.

Mr Khan said that during the moot problems of the safety commissions were discussed and their chairmen guided on how to use their powers without any inhibition. The DPOs too were being trained to work with the safety commissions, which had been created as independent bodies to look after police functioning, he said.

The participants discussed their problems and were guided on how to prepare policing plans for their respective districts, he said. So far there had been no policing plan and the government was also training district police officers in this regard, he said.

Mr Khan said it had been claimed that district police safety commissions were toothless bodies. The impression was dispelled at the meeting. “This is a new arrangement and we are also telling police officials about their new role.”

He denied the impression that safety commissions were browbeaten by police, admitting however that there had been problems in some districts. Genuine problems, like lack of funds and offices for the staff, were being redressed, he said.

Some of the chairmen of commissions at the press conference told reporters that they headed ineffective bodies while others said the same were fully functioning.

Mr Khan said the new law was aimed at improving the policing system with public-police coordination. It ensured recruitment of police officials on merit and without any political interference, he said. When asked about newspaper reports on irregularities in the recruitment process of constables in Punjab, he said it would be a crime if they were true. The IGPs reported fairness in the process and if it was otherwise “we ought to deal with it”.

Mr Khan said it would take some time to fully implement the new police law. If accepted with sincerity of purpose, it would create a chain reaction, he added.

Replying to questions, he denied the impression that the provincial governments and police had been silently resisting the new police law. A majority of police officials favoured the law, but its full implementation would take time, he said.

Mr Khan denied the impression that the five public bodies in districts including the safety commissions had overlapping functions and were being opposed for this reason.

He said the law contained an in-built system for action against police excesses. But when asked why no action had so far been taken against those accused of detaining people illegally, he said it was because of the absence of safety commissions.

Mr Khan said the federal government was asking the provinces to identify general police areas for the appointment of additional IGs. It was wrong to say that police authorities were resisting it for fear of losing control in districts, he said.

He also disagreed with the view that provincial governments were resisting implementation of the law, as it would eliminate their authority over police. “The same chief minister is still head of the province, and no amendment is being made to the law to maintain his authority over police.”

Mr Khan said a major part of the law had been implemented especially in Sindh. The National Safety Commission would soon be notified, he added.