PTI govt intends to bring district police under DC's ambit, Punjab police disagree

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI)-led federal government has prepared recommendations to bring police reforms in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP), bringing police again under the administrative control of provincial and district machinery. Sources told 92 News that the district police would now seek permission of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) to inspect police stations under the reforms draft. They said the Punjab police didn't welcome the federal government's move and expressed serious reservations over new reforms' draft. Inspector General of Punjab police Captain (retired) Arif Nawaz Khan conveyed his reservations to the higher authorities in this regard. Before the implementation of Police Order 2002 in Pakistan especially in Punjab, the DC used to control some functions of police and the District Police Officer (DPO) used to consult the DC. The recent move by the federal government apparently follows few cases reported in Punjab about illegal confinements, police torture and custodial deaths. To control police functions at district level has always been a disturbing factor and caused power tussle between the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS). The PAS is of the view that police failed to perform after getting unbridled powers, but PSP denies the allegation, saying the police must be empowered to act administratively and financially like metropolitan cities of the world.