Daily Times

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar launched Police Reforms Committee Report titled Police Reforms – A Way Forward at a special ceremony at the Supreme Court on Monday.

The report provides some major recommendations to overhaul the policing system.

The recommendations include redressal of public grievances by establishing complaint redress mechanisms at Central Police Office level, regional levels across all provinces and Islamabad Capital Territory and in the districts.

Similarly, Provincial Justice Committees will also be made operational.

The report recommended improving quality of investigation by establishment of state of the art training institutes and better forensic support.

It includes revamping the urban policing by organising the police command in urban districts into eight wings including administration, traffic, operations, law and order, investigations, security, community relations and communications and technology.

The report suggests an efficient Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanism to reduce the burden on courts and the federal; law of Alternate Dispute Resolution Act, 2017 be extended to whole of the country or provinces should replicate it.

The report recommends establishment of mediation centres, institutes of arbitrators and mediators in all provinces.

It has been suggested that efficiency of Criminal Justice System be enhanced by addressing the issue of multiplicity of laws on different subjects.

The report recommends that the National Counter Terrorism Authority Act, 2014 be implemented in letter and spirit.

The Police Reforms Committee has also suggested legislative reforms and continuity of a uniform federal police law. The committee recommended that important amendments be made in the police related laws like the Criminal Procedure Code and Qanoon-e-Shahadat Ordinance.

The committee also recommended that lawmaking be linked with budget making so that when laws are formed their implementation does not fall prey to paucity of resources.

Addressing the launching ceremony, CJP Nisar said the report provided a roadmap to revamp the police department keeping in view the modern challenges.

He expressed the hope that implementation of the report in letter and spirit will bring about a visible change in the functioning of the department.

The chief justice said depoliticising police and making it people friendly were at the core of the recommendations.

He said a strong police force was a pre-requisite for providing a transparent and efficient justice system in any country.

Nisar said rule of law was imperative for peace and prosperity of the society. He stressed that police had an important role to play in maintaining law and order, and ensuring rule of law in the country. Therefore, it was important that the force must be made fully independent and strong.

Published in Daily Times, January 15^th 2019.