KP police stations get financial autonomy

PESHAWAR: In a landmark decision to reform the force and discourage corruption at the police station level, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have formally delegated the powers of drawing and disbursing officers (DDOs) to the station house officers (SHOs), it was learnt on Saturday.

The capital city police is among the first districts to authorise the SHOs as DDOs. An official said this would end corrupt practices by some of the SHOs who would make huge money on the pretext of running the affairs of the police stations. 

“In Exercise of the powers delegated by the inspector general of police, the station house officers of Peshawar are hereby authorised as DDOs for their police stations,” stated a notification issued by Capital City Police Officer Mohammad Ali Gandapur. The copies of the notification were also sent to the State Bank of Pakistan and the Accountant General office in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Those declared as DDOs are currently heading 31 police stations in Cantt, City, Rural and Saddar divisions of the capital city police. An official said that soon the ministerial staff would be posted in these police stations to process the account after which all the police stations would get a budget. The provincial government had issued a notification in March declaring all SHOs as DDOs. Many junior officers believe that financial autonomy to the SHOs would help improve policing. However, it was said it will be tough for some of the SHOs. An official said that almost all the SHOs had applied to be given the DDO powers a few days ago. Some of them have already prepared the raw sketch of their own budget. The federal government had last year proposed a number of reforms in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab Police, seeking comments from the officials concerned in the two provinces. Under the proposed reforms, the SHOs were also to be given financial autonomy.

Many junior policemen said the SHOs used to contribute from ‘own resources’ for running the affairs of the police station due to lack of enough funds from their district heads. These officers believe that a district police head needs to post an upright and competent cop as SHO and give him financial autonomy to improve law and order in his area.