ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Police Order-2002 which was to be enforced on Sept 30, 2003, has been held up for lack of adequate funds and shortage of required staff, sources told Dawn.

Official sources said: “An additional force of 10,000 police personnel is required for Punjab to effectively implement the order.”

An official of the Punjab police said although the order had been implemented in 32 out of 34 district in the province, its objectives could not be met until the required resources and staff was provided.

The source said in Punjab, the existing police force had been divided between two separate police wings, one of prosecution and the other of investigation. The prosecution and investigation have become separate for the first time in the country under the Police Order-2002.

“The new police order cannot be implemented in five districts including Islamabad and Dera Bugti until local government system is set up there,” the source said.

The source said public safety commissions, police complaint authorities, criminal justice coordination committees, and citizens-police liaison committees had not been set up and neither had the investigation units been separated from watch and ward branch in many districts. “These are the main ingredients required for better implementation of the order which are not available in many areas at the moment,” the source added.

Under the new order Balochistan, including its tribal areas, had to come under police supervision. However, authorities concerned were facing hardships in brining that area under police net.

Similarly, Sindh and North West Frontier Province (NWFP) were facing acute shortage of funds and force to implement the order, the source said.

A senior officer who supported the Police Order-2002 said the Police Act, 1861, laid emphasis on maintenance of law and order and action against criminals as at that time the role of the police was to maintain order and protect the interest of the empire.

He said modern concepts of policing recognized service to the people as an essential element and the guiding principle in drafting the Police Ordinance-2002 was to convert the police from a regulatory establishment to a service organization.

“Duties of police have therefore been redefined accordingly that include assistance to the members of the public in distress situations such as accidents or natural calamities. Police has been specifically given duties to assist the weaker segments of society like children, women and physically weak people,” he said.

He said District Public Safety Commission had an independent role of holding the district police officer (DPO) and District Nazim both accountable and could call for action against both of them. “This being a body corporate with representation of all the stakeholders is inherently a neutral body that has the capability to ensure humane governance, strict accountability and insulation of police from extraneous interference.”

He said: “The constitution of these commissions has been designed to equip them with enabling mechanism for ensuring neutrality and transparency in police working.

“Half of the members of the commissions will be persons from civil society of known integrity and imbued with a sense of public service.”

The official said a credible system of accountability had been provided in the new order through establishment of high powered police complaints authorities at the federal and provincial levels.

The complaint authorities, he said, had vast powers to look into the complaints against errant police officials at all levels and to initiate enquiries themselves or with the support of police organizations. “The police officers at command level are bound to initiate action on the recommendations of these police complaints authorities. In case of unsatisfactory action by the authorized police officers, a complaint authority has the powers to take up the matter up to the highest competent authority,” he added.

He said the law mandated the creation of criminal justice coordination committees at district level to provide a forum for all players in the criminal justice system to remove administrative/operational bottlenecks.

Similarly, National Police Management Board and National Police Bureau had been proposed to provide a forum for the senior police officers to interact, exchange views and advise the government in key professional areas that had a direct link to the maintenance of public order.

He said National Police Bureau in addition to the research and development work will work as a secretariat for the National Public Safety Commission and National Police Management Board. “This organization will be the focal point for processing recommendations by the commission and the board and also for monitoring decisions by these two institutions,” he added.