Cops oppose proposed revival of executive magistracy

PESHAWAR: Police across the country have joined hands to oppose the revival of executive magistracy under the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Senior police officials termed the proposal to restore the executive magistracy system a “step backward” that could create confusion, weaken criminal justice, and undo the professional policing structure established after the 2001 reforms.

The cops from all the provinces said police have been operating effectively under a unified command structure since the abolition of the district magistrate system. Any change, they warned, would “bring confusion and chaos” in the criminal justice system and create friction between police and civil administration.

They said a 1987 committee comprising one Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and one Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officer each concluded that dual control delayed in decision-making, and non-professional command were the main reasons behind the failure of the old system.

Police force is currently leading the fight against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan with professionalism and dedication, while the district administration had failed to maintain order in the past. They argued any tinkering with the command structure of the police would disrupt counterterrorism efforts

“There is a serious challenge of terrorism and cross-border attacks especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the police rendering sacrifices side by side with the security forces. Gestures of distrust, dis-empowerment, and taking away the needed operational autonomy of the police to fight this war will seriously hurt the commitment and morale of police, at a critical time,” said a police officer.