Professionals urged to study criminology, justice system

PESHAWAR: Academicians and representatives from different law-enforcement agencies presented papers on different themes of criminology and justice system on the second day of the three-day national conference on criminology at the University of Peshawar on Tuesday.

Dr Basharat Hussain, Chairman Department of Criminology, University of Peshawar, was the keynote speaker. He stressed the need for professional training and academic know-how of the law enforcement agencies. The speaker said that professionals of law-enforcement agencies across the globe have to study criminology and justice system as subject and they are trained professionally. But the case in Pakistan was different from the world, he said. Dr Basharat Hussain said the first department of criminology in the country was launched in the University of Karachi in 1995 and since then almost three decades have passed but the number has reached to just five so far.

He said that graduates of international relations and political science join law enforcement agencies in the country after passing the civil services exams. Even after joining the law enforcement agencies no professional and academic training is arranged for them, he pointed out. Dr Basharat Hussain said that policies lacked at the government level. He urged those at the helm of affairs to focus attention on the issue, adding professional studies and trainings should be made compulsory for those who intend to join the law enforcement agencies.

He was of the opinion that the professionals of criminal justice system should be trained on the pattern of doctors. The conference would conclude today for which 61 abstracts had been submitted. As many as 50 papers were accepted by the academic committee.

Dr Qibla Ayaz would be the guest of honour, Dr Jauhar Ali would be the chief guest, Fasihuddin Ashraf of Police Service of Pakistan and Rukhshanda Naz, provincial ombudsperson for protection of women against harassment at workplaces, would also attend the conference on the concluding day.