Lack of resources, low public trust harming police image

Islamabad: Lack of public trust in Police force to perform their duties, and limited financial and human resources are destroying the Police department’s public image in establishing it as an authoritative body.

These views were expressed by participants at the ‘Consultative Meeting with Parliamentarians on Police Reforms’ held here Wednesday, organised by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), under a pilot project of the ‘Police Awam Saath Saath (PASS),’ in collaboration with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

The session started with an overview on conceptual, policy and service delivery issues of police, with detailed outline on women in policing, community policing, and digitalization in policing through effective tools. The participating police officers were of the view that the police department is in the process of digitization but still far from “digitalisation”. They said police reforms could only be made a reality through the police officers’ individual will to reform which is well within their power, as not every improvement requires changes at policy level. As perks, their health expenses should be taken care of, they suggested.

They said community policing would improve with mutual respect shown towards citizens. Police is made limited to crime control only and is treated as a department and not a body that represents the State, they said adding they have no representation in policy making through a secretary and even have to implore for resources.

They said the issue of unity of command at district and provincial levels should be resolved, alongside the addition of investigation and prosecution services with independent structures. The parliamentarians at the meeting said the police officers at all levels must be paid tribute for their services, especially in case of death, to boost their morale.

They attributed the underperformance of police to the department being under-equipped and under-resourced. They said the education level of most human resource in police is low, with no psychological training, and called for better and smart planning with resource optimization by experience sharing among provinces and even districts.

The parliamentarians presented actionable suggestions for implementation at all tiers. The policymakers were of the view that the lifestyle of police officers at lower ranks is not conducive that opens the door to not only corruption but job stress. They said women do not join the police force due to insecure environments at ‘thanas.’

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, the chief guest of the event, accepted the reality of police not having a voice of their own in policy making concerning them. “We, as policymakers in the parliament’s upper and lower houses, should be the representatives of police and should own up to their professional service.”

He committed to following-up on all the issues faced by police that were discussed during the meeting. He particularly praised Inspector General of Police Amir Zulfiqar on the successful implementation of smart lockdown implementation in the federal capital.

Chairperson of Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) MNA Riaz Fatyana said that it is part of SDG 16 that the government has to take steps to reform the police.

He said there is a lot to reform the police and the policing. He encouraged the police officer and participants to develop some concrete recommendations and present to the Parliamentary Task Force on SDGs. Syed Kausar Abbas, Executive Director SSDO, emphasized the parliamentarians need to engage in policy making for police reforms, specially making use of these meetings’ forum where all stakeholders are brought together to discuss this crucial and longstanding issue.

He assured the addition of their suggestions in the evaluation of the existing laws, police reforms and research methodologies under the project ‘Police and Public Side By Side’.

The session was attended by Senators Javaid Abbasi, Rubina Khalid and Usman Kaakar, and MNAs Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Ghazala Saifi, Munawara Baloch, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khattak, Naureen Farooq Ibrahim, Nusrat Wahid, Riaz Fatyana, Rukhsana Habib, Sher Ali Arbab, Syma Nadeem, Zillehuma, Senior Technical Advisor of SDG Task Force Chaudhry Shafique, Aamna Kayani Program Officer Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights (PCHR), AIG Establishment Kamran Adil, SSP Farhat Kazmi, SP Syed Zeeshan Haider, ASP Kohsar Dr Aqeela Naqvi.

The event, participated by Members National Assembly and Senators, was part of a series of meetings held with the parliamentary working groups at national and provincial levels to introduce reforms in the police department by bringing in modern research mechanisms

and making necessary legislation.