CM says KP to have more autonomous, accountable police 

Says bill being moved in provincial assembly

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Tuesday that his government would introduce Police Reforms Bill 2016 in the coming assembly session to ensure more autonomy, accountability and transparency in the police force.

Speaking at a news conference, he said his government had depoliticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police by giving administrative autonomy to the force. Flanked by the provincial ministers Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli and Shah Farman, Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani, and others, the chief minister said though the reforms would empower the police, the people would be able to hold them accountable.

Pervez Khattak said the bill would be passed soon to improve the performance of the police by establishing public safety commission at district levels. He said after passage of the bill, the district police officer would work under the district council, which could also debate law and order and keep a check on the police.

After establishing the Public Safety Commission, he said citizens could also register complaints against police officers. Under the proposed bill, the Public Safety Commission would be empowered to take cognizance of cases of police neglect, abuse of authority and conduct inquiries against district police chiefs on its own initiative or on a resolution passed by the district assembly, he added.

Enumerating the government reforms in the Police Department, Pervez Khattak said that KP was the first province which introduced Counter-Terrorism Department, Rapid Response Force and made recruitment on merit. The chief minister expressed satisfaction at the performance of the police, claiming that thana system had improved as there was no political interference. “We strengthened the system instead of giving powers to individuals,” he claimed. 

He said people had felt the change which was promised by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) during the general election. He vowed to bring in more reforms and initiate mega development projects across the province. “Those who talk about the failure of the PTI government should come to the province to see the change,” he maintained.  

He said that more than 40,000 teachers would be recruited, which would increase the teaching staff to 150,000 in the province. Pervez Khattak added that 1,500 doctors had been recruited while another 2,700 would be inducted in the next phase.

He said the government had taken steps to provide clean drinking water, establish boundary walls, and provide basic facilities to students at government schools.  Speaking on the occasion, IGP Nasir Khan Durrani said the reforms were a historical step and a paradigm shift towards giving autonomy to the police. He said the reforms would make the police accountable.

Nasir Khan Durrani said: “We have tried to strike a balance between autonomy and accountability. We are strengthening and empowering the police force.”He said recruitment in the police was made through the National Testing Service. “We have not received a single complaint about irregularities in police recruitment,” he claimed.

The IGP said there were 282 police stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 40 percent of them lacked buildings. He said that Rs120 million would be spent on setting up police stations.