Foot-in-mouth: IGP draws court, minister’s ire

Court summons top cop over ‘derogatory remarks’; Nisar slams police performance

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday summoned IGP Tahir Alam Khan for passing ‘derogatory remarks’ while issuing directions to investigation officers (IO) to attend a refresher course to improve investigations in narcotics-related cases. Hours later, the interior minister slammed the top cop for the underwhelming performance of his charges.

In the morning

“We are surprised to note the derogatory remarks passed by the IGP with his own signature on the subject of a refreshment course for IOs” the bench, comprising Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi and Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, remarked.

The judges observed that the IGP wrote that due to frequent “pinching” remarks by the judiciary, he and other senior police officers have to face embarrassing situations.

“Personal attendance of the IGP before the court for Thursday is required with his written explanation,” the bench ordered while hearing a bail petition filed by a man from whom 10.2kg hashish was seized, but the sample sent for forensic tests was not representative of the total quantity.

According to the prosecution, a Bhara Kahu police party found the suspect, Shafiq Afridi, in possession of contraband and booked him under the Control of Narcotics Substance Act.

The petitioner had gone to IHC after his bail application was dismissed by a district and sessions court.

The IGP was directed to clarify what efforts have been made by his subordinates in the light of a Supreme Court decision on the procedures for taking samples from seized narcotics.

In a letter titled ‘refresher course of investigation officers,’ the IGP told subordinates that he has issued written guidelines on a number of occasions, but no results have been gained.

Various lectures by seasoned presiding officers and prominent lawyers were arranged where they shared their experiences and educated participants about investigation standards, but no improvement has been shown by them, the IGP added.

In the letter, the IGP also stated that IOs from various police stations were not fully-acquainted with the basic principles of investigation.

On March 24, the IHC bench grilled the IGP over the IOs’ incompetency and defective investigation in narcotics cases while directing him to take remedial steps and submit reports on them.

While accepting the IOs’ incompetency and citing shortage of funds, the IGP said he has requested the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governments to reduce testing fees.

The bench had remarked that administrative problems were one thing, but taking improper samples was the investigator’s fault. It further observed that the courts could only acquit suspects if samples and investigation were flawed.

The court suggested the IGP to obtain the apex court’s judgment, translate it for IOs, and then quiz them on it, adding that salaries should be withheld for anyone who fails the test.

The court observed that in Afridi’s case, one sample of 10 grams was prepared after taking small quantities from each packet, which was sent to the chemical examiner. Under the apex court ruling, such samples would have to be taken and kept separately to avoid tainting them.

In the evening

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday grilled Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tahir Alam Khan for half-an-hour over the overall poor performance of the capital police in the past month.

The minister had called the IGP and other senior officers to Police Lines for a performance review.

The minister did not bother to listen to the IGP’s explanation in the packed hall, where a large number of journalists were also present.

The meeting was attended by IGP, AIG, SSP, DSPs and all SHOs from the capital.

After generally deploring the poor performance, Nisar went into specifics. “What countermeasures have you taken to stop [burglaries], bank robberies, murders and others crimes,” the minister asked the police chief.

The IGP appeared visibly disheveled when he took the stage. He claimed that he had suspended SHOs and offered to show a presentation detailing crime statistics, but the minister was not interested, telling the IGP to do his homework before their next meeting. “I want the Islamabad police to be a ‘model force’,” said the minister. Nisar added that in future, meetings on police performance will be held regularly and will be open to the media.

Meanwhile, referring to a recent incident in which a Shalimar police official was assaulted by a group of influential bootleggers, the ministry appreciated Constable Fazal Malik for stopping the car and standing firm in the face of illegal pressure. The minister told the assembly that such officials should be encouraged.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2015.