109 th NMC

CrIP
Are KP Police Reforms Replicable in Other
Provinces in Terms of Social and Cultural
Differences Across Pakistan
Salman Choudhry
Police Service of Pakistan
Faculty Advisor: Mr. Faisal Shahkar
Date: 1
Sequence

Currency of the Topic

Historical Context

Recipe for Reforms

Way Forward

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1. Currency of the Topic
The prime minister said his government was keen
and committed to bring about police reforms in
other provinces with the help of respective
provincial governments just like the PTI-led
government had introduced in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa. He said the PTI registered triumph
in the general election in KP due to the reason
that its government had made the police force to
function on professional lines.
Times of Islamabad
https://timesofislamabad.com/20-Aug-2018/pm-imran-khan-first-
speech-to-the-nation-complete-text-of-the-address

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2. The Problem

• Social & Cultural

• Police Act 1861 a colonial legacy
• Dual Control
• Rampant corruption
• Politicization
• No functional expertise

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3. Social & Culture
Society & Social
people living together in a
more or less ordered
community and interact
with each other creating
rights and duties
Is the society ready for
Police Reforms
Culture
the ideas, customs, and
social behaviour of a
particular people or
society to enforce rights
and duties
Does the society has the
capacity to accept Police
Reforms
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4. Policing in Sub-Continent

• Irish Constabulary Model

• London Model
• Napier’s Police Force
• Police Act 1861
• Dual Control

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5. Politics of Police Reforms
• 1948 Bill (XXV of 1948) in February 1948 for establishing a
modern police force for the city of Karachi
• 1951, a committee headed by Sir Oliver Gilbert Grace,
then Inspector General of police of the North Western
Frontier Province (NWFP)
• 1961-62 The Pay & Services Re-organization Committee
headed by Justice Cornelius
• 1990 Sir Richard Barrat, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of
Constabulary
• 1995-1999 Various attempts by International Experts
• 2002 Police Order

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6. 1948 Bill (XXV of 1948)
“Sir, the Bill is a long one, but most of it is already in
operation in Bombay and other cities. Karachi has very
much developed and many more people have come in. The
population has considerably increased and the police force
will not be able to cope with the situation…we are going to
appoint Commissioner of Police for the city of Karachi…the
powers he will enjoy are in respect of curfews, processions,
public meetings, regulating arms and licenses.”
Mr. M. A. Khurro
Chief Minister Sindh 1948

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 7. Recipe for Reforms
Politicization Responsive Safety

Responsibilities

Accountability
Organization

policing Commissions
Functional
specialization Community Complaint
based Authority
Merit based
recruitment Separation of Civilian
Investigation Oversight

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8. Police Act 2017 (A Hybrid of PO 2002)
• Independence of the IGP
• Functional Specialization
• Merit Based Recruitment
• Separation of Investigation from Watch & Ward
• Police Complaint Authority
• Safety Commissions

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 9. Score Card
PO 2002 Police Act 2017

Politicization
Functional Specialization
Merit based Recruitment
Separation of Investigation
Responsive Policing
Community based
Complaint Authority
Civilian Oversight
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10. Are Reforms Possible
 Social
Anthropology
 Cultural
Sociology
 Politicization

Political
Science

Economics

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11. Issues in Reforms
• PO 2002 & its implementation
• Law & Order and 18th Amendment
• Police Act 2017 a stand alone effort in KP
• Sindh and Baluchistan reverted to Police Act
1861
• A and B areas, tribal areas
• Model Police Law & Supreme Court

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12. Way Forward
• There is a consensus Reforms are needed
• Administrative arrangement for Independence of
IGP for a short term
• PO 2002 & Police Act 2107can be redesigned as
the New Model Police Law for implementation

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Q&A

Thank You
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