Civil society calls for implementation of Police Order, 2002

Stresses Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission be made functional

HYDERABAD:

The Sindh Human Rights Defenders Network, a rights advocacy non-profit organisation, has called for the implementation of the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861, and Revival of the Police Order, 2002) (Amendment) Act, 2019.

In a letter sent on Thursday to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and other provincial government high authorities, the network’s convener advocate Ali A Palh emphasised on making the provincial Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission and its chapters in different districts functional.

According to Palh, the provincial commission’s private members have time and again expressed concerns over delays in holding regular meetings, setting up the secretariat and the allocation of resources. He pointed out that the official members of the commission did not attend even those meetings regularly.

“We [the members of the commission from civil society] have also submitted fact finding reports on alleged fake encounters in Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts and the police’s highhandedness in Jamshoro district, but haven’t received any feedback,” he stated.

The Act empowers the provincial commission to recommend the repatriation of the Sindh IGP before the completion of his three-year tenure and also reforms for the modernisation of laws and procedures in respect to the police, prosecution, prisons and probation services. It can also recommend essential criminal justice reforms and take cognizance of cases of tpolice neglect, excesses, abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to public interest.

The commission is supposed to have 12 members and an ex-officio chairperson. Half of the members are to be nominated by the Sindh Assembly speaker from MPAs, while the remaining half are independent members appointed by the provincial government.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2021.