Rana Maqbool Ahmad – the prosecution secretary – and Jehanzaib Burki – the adviser to CM on law and order – submitted the proposals in March this year on Sharif’s directions.
Maqbool, in the proposal he submitted, maintained that there was an urgent need to reform police so it could protect the fundamental rights of the people. The police have an obligation to perform according to the Constitution, Maqbool said. He added that the police needed to be public friendly, professional, service oriented and accountable to the masses in order to be an efficient force.
Maqbool suggested a seven-step strategy to address the weaknesses in the system. The steps include: media policy, developing a relationship with the community, in-house checks and balances, ensuring smooth communication down the ranks, morale boosting acts, a system of cybernetics and strict accountability in all ranks.Putting the media policy as the force’s top priority, Maqbool suggested that a media cell be constituted at the district-level for sharing information. He also suggested regular media briefings and police officers’ interaction with journalists in addition to workshops in order to bridge the gap between the media and the force. “Well-reputed police officers should also be allowed to participate in talk shows on television to make the people aware of the police’s objectives and achievements,” he proposed.
In order to improve police’s image, Maqbool suggested citizen-liaison committees. Senior police officers must interact with traders, lawyers and notable citizens, he wrote in his proposal.
Another of Maqbool’s suggestions was that the mobile squad response time should be cut down. In order to strengthen the police-public partnership, the police should help people in getting milk and medicines at night for kids, he suggested. The former IG also said that transporting patients to hospitals in case of emergency, helping in removal of garbage and helping restore electricity in case of power outages would help in making Punjab Police’s image better. Yet another idea to promote a soft image of police was to hold sport and entertainment events, which feature the police band, at the police-station level.
To take care of intra-departmental issues, Maqbool suggested that the DPOs, DIGS and IGs hold weekly meetings with subordinates, right down to the level of constables, so that their problems could be redressed. Welfare registers should be put in offices for the purpose. Weekly parades at police lines and police stations should be held to ensure discipline among the personnel, said Maqbool.
Another important suggestion was that senior police officers should brief the rest of the force on how to behave in the field, particularly when confronted with a mob. The proposal also highlighted the importance of provision of proper meals, modern equipment and a good working environment in order to ensure better performance.
“Emphasis should be on modern investigation techniques instead of resorting to out-dated methods,” suggested Maqbool.
Jehanzaib Burki, in his proposal, also stated that in order to make the police perform better, it was necessary that they be taken care of. His suggestions included curtailing of long hours, provision of basic facilities at police stations and effective training.
Burki submitted that the police response in emergencies should be quicker and the process of investigation and registration of FIR transparent. He added that in order to restore the public’s faith it was mandatory that complaints against police officials be investigated fairly and that officials not deny citizens their basic rights.
Pervaiz Rasheed, the spokesman of the Punjab government, said that the pending proposals were not in his knowledge.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2010.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ