News Analysis |
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa has ordered to prepare and implement police reforms on a priority basis. The CJP was heading the Police Reforms Committee (PRC) meeting when he reportedly underscored the need for immediate reforms in the police force to improve its performance. Apex court judges, police officers from all four provinces, and law officials attended the meeting.
It is important to mention here that earlier this year, on Jan 14, the former CJP Mian Saqib Nisar had launched the Police Reforms Committee Report titled ‘Police Reforms: A Way Forward’ at a special Supreme Court ceremony. The report has provided some major recommendations to overhaul the policing system.
Justice Khosa is determined to help the police institutions to trains its officers and equip them with modern techniques so that unnecessary delay and distortion of fact can be avoided; as only then, justice can be served.
The recommendations had included redressal of public grievances by establishing complaint redress mechanisms at Central Police Office level, regional levels across all provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, and in other districts. Since the masses often claim that their complaints are not properly addressed by the police officers at the local level. The senior police officers, therefore, should have direct contact with common people so that the provision of justice is made sure.
Moreover, it had also been reportedly decided to make Provincial Justice Committees operational. The report recommends improving the quality of investigation by the establishment of state of the art training institutes and better forensic support. It included revamping the urban policing by organizing the police command in urban districts into eight wings including administration, traffic, operations, law and order, investigations, security, community relations, and communications and technology.
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In most cases, the evidence is distorted or not collected properly. The forensic method is not generally in use in Pakistan which complicates the overall case and becomes a hindrance in the process of justice. Justice Khosa is determined to help the police institutions to trains its officers and equip them with modern techniques so that unnecessary delay and distortion of fact can be avoided; as only then, justice can be served.
As a matter of fact, the apex court judges have noted multiple times that the role of police in the provision of cheap and speedy justice is critical. But the politicization of police has led to an overall failure of the investigation process which creates problems not only for the victims but also for the judges since the evidence is politically manipulated.
Read more: Police Service: Challenges & Reforms
CJP Khosa has made it clear during his maiden speech as CJP that his intention is to uplift the justice system and provide justice to all and sundry across the country. He is said to be determined to bring police reforms and ensure a modern investigation system in Pakistan.