The police are required to be made sensitive on the needs of women, children, transgender persons and minorities, PFDP
Islamabad (08 July 2019): "Pakistan Forum for Democratic Policing" (PFDP) organized the study circle, PFDP is a civil society network working to support the state for Police Reforms.
Mir
Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi, Senator from Baluchistan, Shunila Ruth Member of
the National Assembly (MNA), Shagufta Jumani MNA, Nusrat Bano Seher Abbasi
Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sindh and Fiaz Ahmad Khan Toru former IGP were
speakers of a Study Circle organized by the Pakistan Forum
for Democratic Policing (PFDP) National chapter in Islamabad. The Study Circle was about
“Improving Legal Frame work for Democratic and Gender Sensitive Policing”. Key objectives of the study circle were to
comprehend the concept and need of democratic police reforms in the country and
to know progress and commitments of legislators towards police reforms and
ending gender based violence. It also aimed to discuss the role of civil
society in promoting gender sensitive and citizen centric policing.
While talking about the significance
for introducing police reforms Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Mmuhammad Shahi says
that police is overburdened due to their VIP duties and prolonged engagement
with the protocol of politicians and others. Two billion rupees are spent on
VIP duties yearly, he shared. He ensured his commitment to bring the matter
of police reforms in the Senate, especially to get rid of 158 years old Police
Act of 1861.
Police reforms are crucial for
protection of rights of the vulnerable groups of the society especially women,
transgender religious minorities and person with disabilities, Shunila Ruth
MNA, Islamabad, and July 8, 2019. Hiring of police station staff should be
freeficiant from all types of political interference. She also extended her
support to raise the issue in the National Assembly.
Nusrat
Sahar Abbasi, MPA shed light on challenges of implementing the
“Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861 and Revival of the Police Order, 2002)
Amendment Bill 2019”. She said that the big challenge in the police system is
political interference especially during the general elections. She objected
the process adopted by the Sindh government to pass the new law for Sindh
Police where opposition was not given ample time to debate on the law. She
raised her concerns on the new Sindh Police law which politicizes the police
and does not allow the police to have control on recruitments, transfers and
promotions of the police. She encouraged the PFDP to work with the legislators
in Sindh to implement the law.
Shagufta
Jumani MNA shared the concern that police is highly under resourced.
If we want to expect efficiency from police we need to allocate budget for
them. While responding to concerns of the transgender community she ensured her
support for raising their concerns regarding recently enacted Transgender Persons
(Protection of Rights) Act 2018 with Ministry of Human Rights.
Fiaz
Ahmad Khan Toru former IGP shed light on challenges and way forward for the police
reforms at federal level. Uniform Police
Law for the country is the only way forward to meet the security needs of the
country. Over 90% the police budget is spent on police salaries which is not
enough to run the police which is why police stations are not provided with
sufficient funds to run their operations. Police Order (PO) 2002 is a federal
and per the constitution of Pakistan provinces cannot make any law which is
against the federal law thus PO 2002 has to be implemented across Pakistan in
the form it was enacted in 2002. He insisted on the need of collaboration
between civil society organization, police and the legislators to introduce
police reforms. He shared the Police Reforms Committee formed under the Supreme
Court of Pakistan has done a lot of work on the subject and can work along with
civil society and legislators.
It’s a sad reality that in the
capital of Pakistan the police is being governed by a colonial black law i.e.
Police 1861 said by Sayyed Safi Peerzada, Senior manager,
Rozan. While presenting the civil society’s charter for police reforms he
insisted political parties to introduce police reforms as mentioned in their
manifestos and play their proactive role for introducing new police law to
prevent Gender Based Violence (GBV). The civil society’s charter for police
reforms is comprising the following key demands for police related legislation
and reforms: 1. Police Stations should be the core of police reforms
efforts, 2. Police stations should be empowered technically, infrastructure
and human resource-wise and financially, 3. Mechanisms should be in
place to make police operationally autonomous and free of extraneous pressures
with regard to recruitments, transfers, promotions and investigation, 4.
The quality and cost for investigation and police trainings should be increased
substantially, 5. Strict internal and oversight mechanisms should be in
place by public safety commission and complaint commission for their
accountability, 6. Special attention should be given to the security needs
of children, women, persons living with disabilities, minorities and other vulnerable
segments of the society, 7. Mechanisms should be in place to enhance
community-police collaboration and 8. Measures should be taken for image
building of the police for acknowledging sacrifices and contributions of the
police during the war against terrorism.
END