Report on policing challenges in post-conflict Swat launched

Islamabad
The police department has reclaimed its space in Swat, but the provincial government needs to invest in building the police infrastructure, capacities, trainings and skills specifically to sensitively deal with women, children and minorities.
The conclusion was reached at a research study ‘Policing Challenges and Opportunities in Post-Conflict Swat: Needs of Women, Children and Minorities’ launched by Rozan on Thursday.
Rozan, in collaboration with HUJRA-Swat and COMSATS CIIT-Abbottabad, initiated the research in June 2014. Ambassador of Norway Leif Larsen was the chief guest of the launching ceremony. The report covers challenges of policing in Swat, women, land disputes, robbery, smuggling, drug addiction, kidnapping, domestic violence, elopement, harassment, gender discrimination, increase in divorce ratio, honour killing and child labour and abuse.
The study says that law enforcement infrastructure in Pakistan is outmoded and there is a need for new laws and major revisions in the prevailing laws. The research points out lack of coordination among law enforcement agencies and low representation of women in police. About image of police, it says that over 95 per cent of women respondents have a negative image of police in their minds and labelled then corrupt and cruel. It suggests provision of latest infrastructure and complete de-politicization of police department.
In his opening remarks, Managing Director of Rozan Babar Bashir said that Rozan is focusing on training op police personals who deal masses at grassroots level and have direct link with public. “There sensitisation is extremely important as people report to police immediately after any incident happens. People don’t have knowledge of legal matters so it is their prime responsibility to guide them accurately, deal with them sensible and render the full cooperation.”
Researcher Dr Saba Gul Khattak said that women, children and minorities face extensive issues in a conflict zones. “In Swat, women are mostly uneducated and have least knowledge about their rights. As a result, they are easily exploited.”
She said that unfortunately, police, rather performing their duties as right protectors, behave as a major threat for them. “In case a rape victims intends to report the case, she and her family would have to run between police station and hospital for registering FIR or getting medico-legal report. Same is the case with minorities,” she said.
Programme Coordinator Rabta-Police Programme Sayyed Safi Peerzada and Head of Development Studies Department, COMSATS, Abbottabab Professor Dr Bahadur Khattak presented the key findings and recommendations of the research report which was followed by a panel discussion. The panellists included rights activist Tahira Abdullaha, minority rights activist Basharat Masih and Executive Director HUJRA Saleem Ahmed. The AIG Operations for Islamabad Capital Territory Police Dr. Sultan Azam Temuri also addressed the gathering and acknowledged the importance of the findings.
Norwegian Ambassador Leif Larsen said people had passed through a trauma in Swat due to militancy. “It is our responsibility to give them courage to live and join hands with them to give them hope confidence and zeal to fight challenges of life.”