National Public Safety Commission to be reactivated

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to re-activate the National Public Safety Commission (NPSC) which was formed in 2006 under the Police Order 2002, official sources told this correspondent here.

In this regard, Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan has given the green light and directed secretary interior, federal law secretary and DG National Police Bureau to finalise a working paper for an early reactivation of NPSC, the source added.

Under the law, the NPSC is part of Police Order 2002 which was framed by veteran police officers like Afzal Shigri and Dr. Shoaib Suddle.  The purpose of making the said law was to give the police independence while bringing them under scrutiny by the NPSC.

The NPSC under the law is headed by the interior minister and has 12 members.  Out of these 12 members the speaker nominates three each from the treasury and opposition benches.  The remaining six members are from the civil society (2 lawyers, one media rep and others) who get nominated by the prime minister on the recommendation of the interior minister.

The sources claim that present government did not pay attention to activate the NPSC which had been working since 2006.  Under the Right to Information (RTI law) this correspondent came to know that at yet there took place a total of 46 meetings of NPSC; however, none of them took place during the tenure of current regime whereas regular meetings of the NPSC, headed by the interior minister, are mandatory under the law.

The sources claim that the regime did not pay much attention to this institution as its working could minimise the intervention of interior minister, chief ministers and home ministers in police affairs.

The government has at least realized the importance of this institution close to the end of its tenure. The NPSC, if activated, would send a panel of three police officers to the prime minister for appointment of Inspectors General of Police at the federal and provincial levels, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) chief, IG Railways and Frontier Constabulary (FC) etc.

The institution also has the powers to sack any of the above officials if their performance is unsatisfactory.  It also has the powers to listen to complaints about police and take proper action against the officials concerned if they are found guilty.