Police reforms, reducing public trust deficit top priorities: IGP Khowaja

Resuming his duties after the Sindh High Court’s decision to reinstate him as chief of the Sindh Police, IGP A D Khowaja held a meeting with participants of the National Management Course at the Central Police Office on Monday.

As per a statement issued by the CPO, Khowaja spoke about the measures adopted for upgrading the province’s policing system and the efforts made to address the persisting issue of a trust deficit between citizens and the police force.

For the purpose, he said facilitation centres had been set up at the district level along with establishment of reporting centers at different police stations. Also, the IGP added, the police’s helpline, 15, had also been upgraded as had been the city’s CCTV network.

IGP Khowaja also discussed the role played by the police to make the Karachi operation a success.

He also highlighted the challenges faced by the police force. However, he asserted that morale among the rank and file of the force was high.

Emphasising that a large majority of Karachi’s citizens were peace-loving and law-abiding people, IGP Khowaja said that like any other city there were unscrupulous elements in the metropolis who needed to be dealt with an iron fist.

Discussing the reforms introduced in the force, he said measures were being taken for the welfare of cops and their families, including increasing the compensation amount for those who laid their lives down or were injured in the line of duty.

The provincial police chief also apprised the NMC participants about the functions of different divisions of the police department, including its special branch, crime investigation division, investigation and prosecution, training and others.