Police Reforms in Pakistan

Mukhtar Ahmad Ali

Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives,
Pakistan
 Background: Why Police Reforms?

• Deteriorating public safety situation

• Widespread corruption
• Human rights violations
• Political victimization
• Weak accountability
• Inadequate availability of resources
– Inefficient utilization of resources
• Outdated legal and institutional framework
 Political Context

• Growing Demand
– From within police
– Civil society pressure
• Serious Law and Order Challenges
– Balochistan
– NWFP
• Increased International Interest
– ADB support for access to Justice project
– Support for counter-terrorism
• Military Govt.’s Struggle for Legitimacy
 New Legal Framework

• Office of Deputy Commissioner Abolished

• Local Government Ordinance 2001

• Police Order 2002

 Local Government Ordinance 2001

• Powers and Responsibilities Devolved to:

– District governments – (Distt. Nazim)

– Tehsil/ Town Municipal Administration (Tehsil/ Town
Nazim)
– Union Administration (Union Nazim)

• Role of District Nazim in Law and Order

• Union Public Safety Committees (UPSCs)
 Police Order 2002 (I)

• Goal – a professional, service oriented and

democratically accountable police service

• Duties and Responsibilities Clearly Defined

• Public Oversight Bodies Established

– National Public Safety Commission

– Provincial Public Safety & Police Complaints Commission
– District Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission
 Police Order 2002 (II)
• Mechanisms aimed at Insulating Police Service against
Political Interference

• Separation of Investigation from Watch & Ward

• Role of District Govt. vis-à-vis Police:

– Watch and ward/ law and order
– Distt. Nazim writes a part of the ‘performance evaluation’ report
of Distt. Police Officer
– Distt. Council elects one-third members for District Public Safety
and Police Complaints Commission
– Oversight by Union Public Safety Committees

• Annual Policing Plan

 Implementation Challenges (I)
• Public Safety Commissions not Functional or Effective
– Delayed establishment
– Non-cooperative police officers
– Limited capacity
– Limited public trust

• Separation of Investigation from Watch & Ward

– Resistance by Distt. Police Officers
– Rivalry
– Under-resourced investigation branch
– People have to deal with more officers
 Implementation Challenges (II)

• Political Interference/ Autonomy

– CM’s interference in appointments/ transfers
– No security of tenure
– Weak performance evaluation systems/ annual policing plans
 Causes of Weak/ Slow Implementation

• Lack of Ownership by Provincial Governments

– Demanded amendments on some aspects
– Chose not to implement others

• Inter-departmental Differences or Weak Cooperation

– (involving police, district management group, local govts.,
judiciary)
• Lack of transparency/ culture of secrecy

• Weak Civil Society Oversight and Engagement

• Weak Parliamentary Oversight

 Way Forward

• Ownership by political parties / provincial governments

• Capacity Building of Members of Public Safety

Commissions

• Oversight by Parliamentary Committees

• Stronger Civil Society Engagement

• Transparency/ Public Information System