Govt settles on executing Police Order 2002 in Islamabad

Islamabad : The government has decided to execute Police Order 2002 after a lapse of 20 years of major change in Policing System of Pakistan, the ‘Police Order 2002’ is coming to life in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) under the Federal Ministry of Interior, the interior ministry sources disclosed.

The law Division has revealed in its legal opinion to the Ministry of Interior that following the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, ‘Police Order 2002’ has been implemented in ICT since 2017 and consequently structural changes in ICT Police are already underway.

The decision for the implementation of ‘Police Order 2002’ has been approved in principal and now awaiting final approval to put into practice from the office of the prime minister. It is expected that the prime minister will give the approval ‘very soon’, enabling ‘Police Order 2002’ come into force in Islamabad.

This will end a question lingering over last 20 years about police autonomy and smooth functioning of police under dual command of police officers and magistrates.

However, the magistrates will still retain their magisterial powers as it is and Police shall be working closely for judicial matters as per Cr.PC.

The new arrangement is a ‘win- win’ for both the powerful service groups and a balance has been struck in existing challenging circumstances of law and order and for clarity of Police operations in the capital, the Interior Ministry sources claimed.

The Police, being the lead agency in maintenance of internal security is yet to be reformed, despite the last attempt made by former President Musharaf in 2002, the sources said.

It may be recalled that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has already questioned as to why the ‘Police Order 2002’ has not been implemented despite the fact that the objective of the law was to make one of the most important components of the criminal justice system responsive, effective and accountable to actual by observed the government.

Now that the ‘Police Order 2002’ is going to be implemented in Islamabad this will yet another landmark contribution on part of the Chief Justice of IHC, Justice Athar Minallah in history of the judiciary for years.

The government tried to implement ‘Police Order 2002’, but for one reason or the other it could never be implemented in full.

The question still remain unanswered as to which were the circumstances, or who were the prime and powerful hurdles in the implementation of ‘Police Order 2002’ for the last 20 year, even during the military regime as well as during the civil democracy?

Whatever have been the motives for reforms or for the amendments, it is now the prerogative of the elected government to either undo these amendments or altogether scrap this order.

However the reforms need to be introduced into the police department without any further delay.

The Police Order, 2002, is being resisted for reasons that are required to be explained and justified by the federation as well as the administration of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

The Police Order, 2002 came into force in the ICT on the date when the government is facing agitating atmosphere created by Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).

“Whether there are justifiable reasons for refusing to implement the provisions of the said statute, the object whereof was to make one of the most important components of the criminal justice system responsive, effective and accountable to the actual stakeholders,” the question remains there.