KARACHI: Civil society and rights groups, at a press conference, released a “Citizens’ Charter for Police Reforms” demanding various reforms in the police department. The charter would be presented to Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) A. D. Khawaja. The Citizens’ Charter is divided into two sets of demands, one for the common citizens and the other for the police personnel. The charter was made drafted after a lengthy process of consultations as a result of the landmark decision of Sindh High Court (SHC) regarding police reforms, under which the IGP had been asked to make necessary changes in police department according to the relevant law, Police Act 1861. Para 102 of the SHC decision stated: “We would also like to emphasize that in this judgment we have touched upon only some aspects of the very many problems relating to policing, the police force and the law and order situation. The reform of the police force, the revival of proper and effective policing, the regaining and restoration of law and order, and the enforcement of fundamental rights in the fullest sense is an on-going exercise and a work-in-progress. The problems and issues are many, and may need to be treated again in fresh petitions and other proceedings. However, even if this judgment proves to be but one link in that chain, it is hopefully a step in the right direction (if we may mix metaphors a bit)”. The charter demanded that a Provincial Public Safety Commission/Ombudsman should be established. The Human Rights Cell (established under Standing Order 235/2009) should be activated in each district, it should issue monthly reports (with special focus on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances), and citizens (minimum 5 citizens) be made members of the cell. Another demand from the citizens included e-filing for launching of complaints be allowed and a reference number issued to the complainants. All investigations should be conducted in a transparent and efficient manner and all funds allocated should be made available to IOs, who should be made accountable, the charter said. Foot patrolling and women and minorities should be inducted in the police force at all levels, as per the 5 % quota allocated to them under the law, the charter said. Every citizen arrested has a right to dignity and privacy under the constitution, it said. Conditions of lockups including sanitary services should be improved, the charter recommended. Assets of police officers and inquiries and their results against police officers should be posted on the police website, the charter stated. A special unit should be created to monitor the progress in all cases relating to complaints of violence against women, children and minorities, the charter said. The charter recommended that security should be provided to the minorities’ places of worship by police officers belonging to the same minority, according to the Supreme Court Judgment of Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, regarding the safety of the minorities’ places of worship, (PLD 2014 SC 699). Issues regarding the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) should be addressed, as police officers take little or no interest in writing the ACRs of their subordinates, the charter said. Retired police personnel and the families of martyred police should be paid compensation on time, it said. Living conditions of police personnel should be at par with other government service departments. Working conditions of police personnel should be brought in conformity with Pakistan’s law and international standards, it said. Dignity of police personnel and their families should be established i.e. access to education, healthcare for their families and decent living and all police personnel injured should have access to the best healthcare as available to armed forces. All police personnel should undergo regular medical checkups. The charter also asked to promote the concept of community policing at police station level. Performance of the community policing will be part of ACRs of SHO, it said. Besides this a ‘bridge’ demand was also made which asked for holding an annual public recognition of outstanding police personnel at an annual police-citizens function, which should become an important date/event in the social calendar of Sindh, the charter said. The press conference was addressed by Citizens Trust Against Crimes’ Nazim F. Haji, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research’s (PILER) Karamat Ali, Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment’s Khateeb Ahmed, National Labour Council’s Liaqat Sahi, Tahrik Niswan’s Sheema Kermani and Sindh Commission on Status of Women Chairperson Nuzhat Shireen among others. Published in Daily Times, October 21st 2017.