KP mulls legislation to ‘reduce’ police powers

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is considering reducing police powers through legislation, sources close to the matter told Geo News on Monday.

The KP government, according to the sources, is also mulling to make transfers in the police and bureaucracy subject to the will of the KP assembly members. The sources added that the decision to appoint police officers and personnel will be made in consultation with lawmakers, while a monthly meeting between the police and provincial assembly members is also on the cards during which other decisions, including the use of development funds, will also be taken.

The assembly will make amendments to the Police Act following approval from the provincial cabinet, the sources said. Through the changes in the act, the transfer powers of the inspector general of police will also be restricted, they added.

Meanwhile, IGP Akhtar Hayat has refuted the reports of his powers being restricted. “The reports of reducing the IG’s powers related to posting transfer are baseless,” the IGP told Geo News. In this regard, the sources said that the Peshawar capital city police officer and other top police officials had met KP lawmakers in the police lines this week. During the meeting, the provincial assembly members asked police officers to take decision in light of their orders.

Lawmakers who took part in the meeting included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Arbab Sher Ali, Asif Khan, Meena Khan, and others, who spoke to the police officers in light of KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s directives, as per the sources.

Soon, according to the sources, most of the powers in the departments will be determined by the will of lawmakers. Under the leadership of PTI members, they added, there will be monthly meetings with officers of all departments in other districts as well.

So far, hundreds of police officers and officials have been transferred on the recommendation of provincial assembly members. The decision to have lawmakers monitor the ongoing anti-terrorism operations in KP is also under consideration, said the sources.

Lawmaker Sher Ali told Geo News that the MPAs discussed security, policing, and drug-related legislation with CCPO during the meeting. However, he denied having any discussion regarding the transfer and posting. “We have nothing to do with it,” the lawmaker said, adding that there were discussions of reducing the powers of one person and interference with the provincial government during PTI’s previous government.