HYDERABAD, Sept 12: The inspector general of police (IGP), Sindh, Syed Kamal Shah, has strongly defended the recently promulgated Police Order 2002, which replaced the 1861 Police Act, and rejected reports that the police had been given unbridled or judicial powers under the order.

He expressed hope that the new police order would certainly help build the image of the police and improve their efficiency.

He said that the process of recruitment had been made 100 per cent transparent.

He was speaking to newsmen at the circuit house on Thursday.

The IGP, Sindh, said the Police Order 2002 under chapter 17 contained punishment from one to five years through the judiciary, and added that it would take some time even for the police officials to understand the Police Order.

He invited journalists to go through the Police Order. He said that they would find that it was an effective and strict law aimed at improving the conduct of police officials among the general public.

He told newsmen that sections regarding punishment of policemen had been added in the Police Order.

He said that police officials found guilty of submitting chargesheets late deliberately would have to face a one-year punishment through the court of law concerned.

He said that the police officials demonstrating cowardice during police action could also be taken to task in view of the report of the in-charge of the team, and added that all those policemen who were found involved in conducting raids with mala fide intention would not escape punishment.

He asserted that the 1861 Police Act was introduced soon after the 1857 war of independence in order to make police subservient to the then government.

He rejected reports that the police had been given judicial powers through this law as it was simply incomprehensible. He, however, admitted that the police had been empowered in terms of administrative and financial matters at the departmental level which was bound to bring a good change in its working.

He clarified that the new law does not facilitate to take action against the police without any cogent reason.

He disclosed that inquiry of these commissions would be binding on the police in any matter.

He pointed out that the strength of the commissions would be according to the size of the district.