Select committee reviews Police Order 2002

The law will come into effect 30 days after approval from Sindh Assembly: Wahab

KARACHI: Briefing the media after a meeting of the select committee to review the new law on police, on Wednesday, Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-Corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the formation of a Public Safety Commission to maintain checks and balances on the police was under consideration.

Wahab dismissed speculations that the government wanted to keep the powers of the police. He said that transfers and postings will be done after consultation between Sindh chief minister and the inspector-general of police (IGP).



According to him, the Public Safety Commission will comprise 12 members and it is mentioned in Police Order 2002. Wahab claimed that the opposition and the government were unanimous in this regard.

He maintained that reviving Police Order 2002 was a promising step by the Sindh government and added that some recommendations have been received from the opposition and will be reviewed by the select committee. Wahab informed that the bill contained three crucial points including autonomy of police, setting up of a safety commission and committees on district and provincial levels.

According to the adviser, police will be accountable to the public safety commission which will be assigned authority to deal with complaints of misuse of power by police. Wahab claimed that the new law would come into force in 30 days after it passed in the Sindh Assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2019.