PESHAWAR, Aug 4: The NWFP Governor, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, has said that the elected representatives and police are important elements of the new local government system.

He was speaking at a joint meeting of District Nazimeen and District Police Officers, here in the cabinet room of civil secretariat, Peshawar, on Saturday.

The meeting reviewed the law and order situation and discussed the working relationship of the elected representatives and police force.

All the District Nazimeen and police officers, besides the Local Government Minister Athar Minallah, the Acting Chief Secretary Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Home Secretary Javed Iqbal, and Inspector General of police Mohammad Saeed Khan attended the meeting.

The governor said that the new system could not run successfully unless the authority of a Nazim was established. However, he made it clear, once again, that the police was answerable to the respective District Nazim in matters of law and order.

“There are some problems at the lower level in the police force, he remarked, adding that thana culture has to end,” the governor stressed.

He, in this connection, urged the district police officers to tighten their grip over their subordinates, particularly those having direct dealings with the people, and ensure improvement in their attitudes.

The governor said that, once institutions like the Public Safety Commission and Ombudsman are established at the district level, an effective mechanism to redress public grievances would be ensured.

The district ombudsman, he said, will be authorized to proceed against government departments and organizations. He said that the scheme of establishment of district ombudsman has been approved and would soon become functional.

The governor took serious note of the reports about the police’s reluctance in the registration of FIRs, and warned that this was not acceptable.

Regarding the separation of prosecution and investigation processes in the police department, the governor said that various options were being considered and a final decision in this regard would be taken soon.

With reference to the police’s inefficiency, the governor said that the government realizes that they are working under stress and strain, and that necessary steps were being taken to revamp the department.

The governor also referred to the Rs200 million special grant announced by President Pervez Musharraf during his visit to the provincial police headquarters saying that half of which has already been released.

He also said that the reward and punishment procedure should be enforced to get the culprits punished and to encourage those with outstanding performance.