ALL the four provinces of Pakistan have failed to reform the police in a manner consistent with the dignity, prosperity and security of its citizens. It is pertinent to explore why reformers have failed to understand structural imperatives. The police have powers to investigate crime, enforce laws and maintain law and order. To ensure that such power is only used for legitimate purposes, various countries have adopted safeguards and create independent oversight authorities.

In Pakistan, policing is a provincial matter and the political executive (Home Minister) has the power of superintendence and control over the police force to ensure their accountability.

Once a crime occurs, police officers are required to record the complaint, secure evidence, identify the culprit, frame the charge against him, and assist with his prosecution in court so that a conviction may be secured. Crime investigation requires skills and training, time and resources and adequate forensic capability and infrastructure. Our police lack the training and expertise required to conduct professional investigations. They also have insufficient legal knowledge (on aspect like admissibility of evidence). The forensic and cyber infrastructure available to them is both inadequate and outdated. In light of this, the police are using force and torture to secure evidence. As a consequences victims die in custody. As far as investigation is concerned, it is being done by lower rank head constables and officers just put their thumb impression whereas supervising officers do not know basics of investigation.

We can improve the situation providing the training to the investigation officers: how to collect, preserve and interpret the forensic evidence, connecting the crime and accused in court of law. We should enhance the level of investigation by making responsible PSP offices as investigation officers in heinous crime cases i.e. all cases with punishment for 10 years and above.

Investigation team will be incomplete without forensic support. Modern day laboratories conduct a scientific analysis of ballistics, body fluids, computer records, documents, explosives fingerprints, narcotics and voice identification and forensic pathology, but at present we don’t have any laboratory at all in Sindh. Although we have two labs in Karachi and Rohri they are working without any qualified staff at all.

Prof Shafi Muhammad Nizamani
Malaysia

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2019