KARACHI, Dec 30 In what appears to be a move to save the community police department from being done away with altogether, the city government has renamed it as “city wardens”.

The decision to do so was taken recently by Karachi Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal after the provincial government, the police and several political and religious parties expressed their concerns about the community police.

The objection raised by the Sindh police was legal, and, therefore, not easy to ignore. Other complaints were more political in nature, with the stakeholders alleging that the community police department consisted largely of Muttahida Qaumi Movement loyalists.

The Sindh police strongly objected to the use of the name 'Community Police' by the city government. Under the Police Order 2002, personnel of the community police could be prosecuted for impersonating as members of the police, as the vehicles and uniforms being used were similar to the Sindh police's. Further, both were inscribed with the word 'police'.

Under Article 151 of the Police Order 2002, “if any person not being a member of the police wears without authorisation, the uniform of police or any dress having the appearance or bearing any of the distinctive marks of police uniform, he shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine up to one hundred thousand rupees, or with both”.

Well-placed sources told Dawn that a letter was sent on the behalf of the Sindh police chief about six months ago to the provincial home department. The letter suggested the immediate abolition of the CDGK community police.

The letter maintained that the establishment of the community police force had created confusion amongst the masses, as the community police was using vehicles and logos similar to the Sindh police, which was in contravention of the law.

Sources said that the CDGK had conveyed to provincial authorities that the community police was established with the permission of the city council, and was in line with the relevant clauses of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO 2001). Police authorities, meanwhile, insisted that no person or group could establish a police force, and that the members of such a force should be prosecuted. It was also pointed out that the SLGO 2001 only permitted the CDGK to appoint inspectors to issue tickets on municipal violations.

The sources said the CDGK had assured the provincial government that its community police force had nothing to do with law and order, which was the domain of the Sindh police. The CDGK asserted that its police was meant to enforce municipal rules in the city and to impose fines on violators of the said rules.

“We have changed the name of the community police to city wardens in order to address some concerns of the Sindh police and the provincial government,” said Executive District Officer (Municipal Services) Masood Alam. “They object to the use of the word 'police', so we changed it. The name 'community police' has been removed from all vehicles and the new uniform will have a new logo of city wardens.”

He said that there were 2,560 sanctioned posts of the city wardens and 1,000 posts of assistant wardens in the city government's budget, which was passed by the City Council. “However, due to resource constraints, we have only filled 1,500 posts on a purely contractual basis,” he added.

Mr Alam said that the scope of city wardens will be widened and they will also work as traffic wardens on the pattern of Lahore. “The city wardens have no authority to arrest anyone or seize goods. They are not responsible for law and order,” he clarified.