‘Punjab Police avoiding accountability,’ says senior govt official

Meanwhile, law minister hopes for consensus on reforms

LAHORE: Punjab police are dilly-dallying over the proposed police reforms to thwart the establishment of any accountability and oversight mechanism over the force, said a senior government official.

He revealed the committee to address the concerns of police will meet again on Sunday when the force will place their suggestions after Saturday’s marathon meetings remained almost inconclusive.

The source further revealed that the chief problem with the Punjab police is to avoid an oversight mechanism over them, thus leaving the force with a free hand.

He said the police will have to understand that the days when the province was being governed by the force are long gone.

The official stressed a system of checks and balances, on both the police and civil bureaucracy, would be introduced — come what may. He said the government was not functioning to appease civil servants; rather it was the duty of both the elected regime, as well as the provincial and federal bureaucracy, to serve the people of the province, not the other way round.

At the same time, another meeting was held at the Civil Secretariat and presided over by Law Minister Raja Basharat.

He claimed that police was repeatedly asked to specify their concerns over reforms, but there was no workable answer.

He said that instead of the identifying their concerns over the proposed reforms, they kept reminding the government of the Police Order 2002; asking to consider its oversight mechanism of Public Safety Commissions, CPLC and Police Complaint Authority. He said that if these mechanisms had to be put in place and if the police were serious about it, it would have been implemented over the last 17 years.

He said after 17 years of working with almost no checks, now they are in favour of the Police Order 2002’s oversight mechanism.

The senior official ensured that no civil servant would be given a role in oversight mechanisms, but as far the selection of retired government servants were concerned for the post of DGs in the Police Complaint Authority, that was the sole prerogative of the government.

He emphasised that police would not be allowed to dictate terms on that count. He revealed an Independent External Inspectorate (IEI) was being designed to conduct police inspections.

He believed giving control of the body to the police department would have made no sense.

“So, the Home Department is the obvious choice,” he added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat hoped for a consensus on police reforms by Sunday. He said the police had sought time till Sunday to bring forward their suggestions. He said the government will move forward with a consensus.

The minister said that on Saturday, the police was ensured that there would be no DC oversight on them. Basharat added they were also ensured that there working would not be in hindered in any way or form.

About the police’s concerns on reforms expressed during the meeting, he said details cannot be disclosed at this point.

When asked if he was hopeful of reaching a consensus with the police by Saturday, he said that the main focus was to meet the deadline of 30 September, which they will.

Also, a well-placed source within the police strongly rejected the impression that the force was not up for reform or external oversight. Senior police officials stated that they had twice written to the government for the establishment of Police Complaint Authority and Public Safety Commissions.

One of the sources said a most recent letter was written to the government on September 18 this year. “So it was not a delay from police’s end,” he stressed. The source added that in terms of external oversight, they sent letters to request the government to establish a district dispute resolution committee.

“We are up for democratic oversight, but not for a civil servant oversight.” Explaining his concern, he said a government has placed the Independent External Inspectorate under the Home Department, which means it would be its under direct command.

He suggested the IEI be placed under sub-committee on law and order, not just any department. He said Police Order 2002 should be the preferred way forward as it gives a more democratic oversight.

The source said the police complaint authority in Police Order 2002 did not have any interference of civil bureaucracy in

Meanwhile, a senior police officer said that the police were happy that the government had lent an ear to their concerns.

He said the concerns were being taken into consideration.

He said that police was a disciplined force and would function according to the will of the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2019.