Reforms agenda: Senate committee debates police, legal system

Dr Shoaib Suddle, Afzal Ali Shigri share views on the weak structure


Our Correspondent August 20, 2015
PHOTO: APP

ISLAMABAD: The Senate should form an overarching body to oversee the implementation of law in the country and follow best international practices in policing rather than re-inventing the wheel.

Taking the floor at the Senate Committee of the Whole’s meeting former IG Police Dr Shoaib Suddle underscored the need to revisit laws pertaining to counterterrorism. The committee discussed criminal justice system of the country and debated criminal and police reforms for the country.

Dr Suddle maintained that the policing system in the country had collapsed because of the colonial mindset, holding the policing system responsible for the breakdown of law and the specter of terrorism. Contrary to being independent of political influence barring keeping a watch for accountability, he added, the police had turned into a “royal” force rather than one to ensure law and order.

He suggested that recruitment procedures, if made transparent, could help solve various problems.

Another former IG Afzal Ali Shigri said that heads of banned terrorist outfits should be banned as the same heads could form other organsiations with different titles. He lamented that the criminal justice system of the country had failed to improve, citing international standards.

He pointed out that the fault of the criminal justice system was not the flawed legal scenario but non-interpretation of laws. There was a unanimous agreement of the committee that criminal law be amended to replace cognizable and non-cognizable offence with distinction made between arrestable and non-arrestable.

Later, Chaudhry Ashraf Gujjar, convener Legal Reforms Committee, constituted by the premier, presented insight into and read out parts of report of the committee. He discussed various aspects including civil litigation, criminal litigation, IT assistance in disposing of cases and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed highlighted revival of the intelligence role of police’s special branch and asked for using the model of Motorway Police for improving police force of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2015. 

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