LAHORE: A Punjab Assembly committee on Sunday voiced serious concern over alleged police excesses, unresolved complaints against law enforcement and continued failure to establish legally mandated Public Safety Commissions, warning that internal police accountability alone had proven inadequate and calling for stronger parliamentary oversight.

The Committee on Law Reforms and Delegated Legislation, chaired by Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, reviewed the performance of the police, particularly the Crime Control Department (CCD), amid growing concerns raised by the lawmakers, human rights organisations and civil society over alleged police misconduct and extrajudicial killings.Inspector General of Police Rao Abdul Kareem, Regional Police Officer Sheikhupura Athar Ismail and District Police Officer Kasur Aftab Phulwarwan attended the session. The IGP and the Sheikhupura RPO briefed the lawmakers on crime trends in Kasur district and across Punjab.

The committee claimed that it was exercising its constitutional responsibility of parliamentary oversight rather than interfering in police affairs, stressing that elected representatives had a duty to hold public institutions accountable, one of the participants told Dawn.

The meeting also took serious notice of what members described as a coordinated media and online campaign targeting the Punjab Assembly and the Speaker’s office. The committee declared the campaign malicious and unfounded, saying it sought to portray legitimate parliamentary oversight as interference in policing.

Alleges that Kasur DPO is behind campaign, recommends disciplinary action; expresses concern at police excesses, extrajudicial killings

The members alleged that Kasur District Police Officer Aftab Phulwarwan was the officer at whose behest the campaign was being orchestrated and recommended that disciplinary proceedings be initiated. The committee resolved to refer the matter to the Assembly’s Committee on Privileges for examination and appropriate action under the Rules.

To avoid any perception of conflict of interest, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan recused himself from this portion of the proceedings despite members requesting his participation, allowing the committee to continue deliberations in his absence.

Lawmakers also highlighted specific incidents allegedly involving the Kasur Police, including the violation of the sanctity of a place of worship and deficiencies in the investigation of a sexual violence case. Members argued that such incidents reflected the absence of an effective and systematic accountability framework within the police force. During the meeting, the members reviewed letters received from human rights organisations and civil society groups, along with complaints submitted by the legislators regarding police high-handedness.

The committee also took notice of the allegations documented by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) concerning more than 900 alleged police encounter killings, which had been raised before the United Nations Committee against Torture, of which Pakistan is a state party.

The participant said the committee also criticised the prolonged delay in establishing Public Safety Commissions required under the Police Order 2002, despite an earlier ruling by the speaker issued on Nov 14, 2024. The speaker pressed the government to complete the process without further delay, while officials from the Law Department and Punjab Police reiterated that work on constituting the commissions was underway.

The meeting was attended by Law Minister Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, MPAs Samiullah Khan, Ali Haider Gilani and Uzma Kardar, Secretary General Chaudhry Amer Habib, Speaker’s Adviser Usama Khawar and Law Secretary Asif Bilal Lodhi.

Khalid Ranjha, parliamentary secretary for law, Raja Shoukat Bhatti, Awais Dareshak from PTI and Iftikhar Chachar Zulfiqar Shah attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2026