Uniforms before reforms

When the new Naya Pakistan Government came into power and even before the elections one of the topmost priorities of PTI was to introduce police reforms particularly in Punjab where Prime Minister Imran Khan had sworn that he would bring about radical reforms to depoliticise the Punjab police and make it role model of which the entire nation would be proud.

For this purpose the former IGP of K-P Nasir Khan Durrani was appointed and assigned the task of initiating police reforms in the Punjab.

However, due to some small cases which albeit petty in nature however involving influential people, the then IG  Punjab Syed Kaleem Imam was transferred as was the then IG Islamabad Jan Mohammad who refused his reinstatement ordered by the Supreme Court after an incident involving an important senator close to the powers that be. This political interference ended up with the police reforms being put in the backburner and Durrani also resigning from his post.

It now seems that the regalia of the Punjab police is the top priority of the government and the Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has given his due approval to change the uniform once again since 2017. What is extremely surprising is that millions of the taxpayers’ money will be doled out to give the police force in Punjab a new and smart look.

The new government has gone back on its pledge to introduce police reforms and nothing has been done to improve the law and order situation in Pakistan’s largest populated province.

It now seems that Punjab Police will dress up in the colours of Islamabad police as police officers sent on peacekeeping UN missions are supposed to wear the ICT Police uniform. Trivial matters are being given due importance whereas the dossier of effective policing and reforms is gathering dust in the corridors of power.

 

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2019.

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