No change in Police Order 2002 basic structure & framework

High-level meeting

PESHAWAR: After several months of clash over the proposed Police Act 2016, a high-level meeting attended by six former inspectors general of police on Monday concluded that the basic structure and framework of the Police Order 2002 must be adhered to.

The civil and police bureaucracy as well as two other groups within the force want own points to be added to the proposed Police Act. A four members committee of KP ministers has also been constituted to ensure the passage of the Police Act after ending differences of various groups.

The meeting was convened at the Central Police Office in Peshawar to discuss the proposed Police Act. The senior level retired and serving police officers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and Lahore attended the marathon meeting. 

The retired IGPs who attended the meeting, included Abbas Khan, Afzal Ali Shigri, Masood Shah, Saeed Khan, Fayyaz Toru and Tariq Khosa. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani, Ad IG Mian Mohammad Asif, DIG Counter-Terrorism Department Salahuddin, DIG of Malakand Mohammad Azad, Capital City Police Officer Mubarak Zeb, DIG Headquarters Mohammad Alam, Najibur Rahman and Mohammad Afzal were the serving officers who attended the meeting.

The meeting thoroughly discussed the drafts of Police Act proposed by Police Department as well as the Home Department that were presented and discussed at length. Both the acts were compared along with the Police Order, 2002.“The detailed deliberations concluded that the basic structure and frame work of the Police Order, 2002 must be adhered to. The principles of operation and administrative autonomy, neutrality, public service and accountability as enshrined in PO, 2002 must be followed in letter and spirit. However, the strategic reform initiatives of the Provincial Government shall be continued, included and institutionalized through minor amendments,” said an official.