Depoliticising police: top court issues notices to federal, provincial govts

Police order has become ineffective because of ill-intentions of the provincial governments: petitioner

LAHORE: The Supreme Court has issued notices and ordered the federal and all provincial governments to submit their written replies by December 26 on a constitutional petition calling for depoliticising the police.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar heard the petition of Muhammad Ahmed Misar who was represented by Barrister Salman Safdar.

The petitioner pleaded for implementation of the Police Order of 2002 throughout the country, saying provincial governments had introduced their own laws and made some of its clauses ineffective.

“The police order has become ineffective because of ill-intentions of the provincial governments,” read the petition, accusing them of promoting political interference through their laws.

According to the petitioner, police will become independent, transparent and free of political interference if the Police Order 2002 is implemented in its original shape and this will also boost the quality of investigation.

The petitioner requested the court to suspend all police laws of the provincial governments and impose the 2002 order across the country in its true form and spirit.