FAISALABAD, March 20: Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah admits that the Police Order 2002 has not been implemented so far in its true spirit due to a variety of reasons.

“Nevertheless, steps are being taken to complete this gigantic task as the National Reconstruction Bureau has drafted rules which will be enforced after a formal approval,” he told newsmen here on Wednesday.

Shah said the Federal Public Safety Commission would be constituted shortly for which nominations were being finalized. It will comprise six parliamentarians, including three from the opposition, and six people from different sectors.

He said that some amendments had been made to the establishment of provincial public safety commissions and police authorities. Now they would be merged and known as provincial public safety and complaint commissions and introduced at district level.

“The previous police act was announced in 1861 whereas its rules were formulated in 1934 after 73 years. But we have tried our best and the NRB with consultation of the Interior Ministry has prepared the final draft of rules (for the Police Order 2002) in three years,” Shah said explaining how gigantic the task was.

He said the government had totally changed the 141-year police culture and introduced a number of police reforms to meet the present-day requirements.

To a question, Shah said there was a need to provide better facilities to police to check corruption. He said that media could play a role in raising awareness among public about the police duties and available services.

Speaking to members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Syed Kamal Shah said NADRA would be involved in other important tasks like issuance of computerised driving licenses and receipt of utility bills.

Admitting that there were complaints of fake computerised identity cards, the interior secretary ruled out the possibility of their misuse because of what he said strong on-line inquiry and verification system.

He asked the local police heads to set up a special liaison centre headed by an ASP at the FCCI building to entertain traders’ complaints.

Additional Inspector General of Police Tallat Mahmood said that the basic idea of the police reforms was the introduction of politically neutral police force but this goal could not be achieved.

He said that suggestions had been forwarded to the Interior Ministry through the provincial Home Department for bringing some changes to the police order, specially the cumbersome process of investigation transfer.

Earlier, GCCI president Mian Muhammad Haneef highlighted the problems being faced by businessmen because of the poor law and order.