KARACHI: Inspector general of Sindh police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam on Sunday directed police officers not to arrest persons/suspects without effective investigation in order to reduce burden on the judiciary.

He issued these directions while chairing a meeting at Central Police Office regarding complaint cells set up across Sindh recently under directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to decide pleas of FIRs and other minor crimes at police level in order to reduce burden on the judiciary.

All Additional IGs, DIGs and district SSPs attended the meeting through videoconferencing.

“Arrests prior to effective investigation should not be done and in this regard, not only rules and regulations should be followed, but concrete evidences and statements should also be made result-oriented,” observed the provincial police while addressing the participants in the meeting.

He asked all DIGs, SSPs and others officials to immediately display banners, panaflex at their respective offices informing the general public for approaching the recently established police complaint cells for redress of their grievances.

He said that if local police station did not entertain their complaint, the people should approach the police complaint cells, where their complaint would not only be heard, but would also be redressed.

Mr Imam directed that the police officers arrange visits of lawyers, bar council members and judges at district level on regular basis to inform them about importance of such cells and seek their suggestions for further improvement in this police redress mechanism.

The IG asked the general public that if police stations concerned or SHOs did not entertain their complaints pertaining to registration of FIR, misuse of powers, harassment, improper pursuing of the cases, etc, then the people should send their complaints to the complaint cells through given e-mail, phone numbers and mobile numbers.

The police complaints cells would not only redress their grievances, but they would also inform them about progress of their cases/complaints.

The provincial police chief believed that the police complaint cells had been established as per wishes of the people.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2019