Public liaison: Capital police to appoint human rights officers

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Police have decided to appoint human rights officers at police stations to liaise with citizens to resolve minor public complaints.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by Inspector General of the Islamabad Police (IGP) Sikandar Hayat and attended by Operations Additional Inspector General Azam Temuri, Operations Senior Superintendent Police Muhammad Rizwan and other senior police officials.

Hayat said that the officers will work closely with citizen committees which will be formed to address the grievances of the citizens.

The committees will be established at the level of police stations, Rescue 15 and the Islamabad Traffic Police office, the IGP said.

Lawyers, educationists, traders and other members of the community will make up each five-member committee, with due representation given to women.

An additional station house officer would head each committee and also serve as the human rights officer at the police station.

The officer will submit a performance report to the senior superintendent of police of the respective zone on a daily basis, it was decided.

The IGP claimed that the initiative would help transform the police culture and minor community issues could be resolved with police-public cooperation.

“We have taken the lead to change ‘thana culture’,” Hayat said. “In case of any complaint of discrimination during the investigation process, police and committee members would jointly make efforts to satisfy the aggrieved party and ensure a transparent probe.”

The police did not say how meaningful the initiative would be if the same police officers, who are mistrusted by people, were to be designated as human rights officers.

However, the IGP also urged police officials to win the confidence of people and directed them to maintain a friendly demeanour towards people.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2013.