Police high handedness: KP Treasury, opposition MPAs vow to oppose Police Order Act

Members from both treasury and opposition benches in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Friday criticised the high handedness of police and vowed to oppose the passage of Police Order Act 2016 from the house. The provincial assembly resumed proceedings with Deputy Speaker Dr Meher Taj Roghani in the chair and after question hour Malik Noor Saleem moved his privilege motion against the SHO Police Station Ghazni Khel.
Malik Noor Saleem told the house that he had talked to the concerned SHO Ghazni Khel Police Station regarding the closure of a road and extortionists. But he instead of taking action, he snub and threaten him. He said that the attitude of the SHO was insult to him, which has not only breached his own rather the privilege of the whole house and requested the chair to refer the matter to the privilege committee for thorough investigation.
A treasury MPA and Advisor to CM on Transport, Shah Mohammad Wazir, also registered complaint regarding the high handedness of police in his home district Bannu. He said that police is giving no respect or weigh to him. Therefore, he announced to oppose the Police Act openly, saying that they should not be granted more powers. He said that yesterday, SHO Police Station Meeran, Tahir Mahmood arrested a poor brick kiln on charges of tobacco smoking and insulted the whole area. He alleged that police officials of his districts are taking dictation from politicians. He said that though he had complained against the concerned SHO with both District Police Officer (DPO) and Inspector General of Police (IGP), but no action was taken against him.
The treasury benches legislator demanded immediate suspension of the SHO. Otherwise, he threatened walk-out from the house. Aizazul Mulk Afkari of JI, a coalition partner in the provincial government said that no change is witnessed in police culture, saying that elected public representatives should not be left at the mercy of police. He lamented that instead of public representatives, police is giving importance to their touts.
Javed Nasim, another treasury legislator told the house that similar incidents are also happening with him on daily basis and especially mentioned the arrest of his son by the police. He said that he is teased by police wherever he goes. He called for the stoppage of the high handedness of police to prevent such incidents.
Mahmood Khan Bhatni of JUI-F said that though they are making legislations for the autonomy of police, but they are starting its implementation from them. He vowed to resist the passage of Police Order Act. Syed Jaffar Shah of ANP said that three precious years were wasted on bringing unsuccessful change and today the people of the province are demanding the restoration of old province. He said that development activities in the province had come to standstill and standing on the verge of destruction. He requested the chair to allocate at least one day to debate the issue.
Aurangzeb Nalotha of PML-N said that the so-called change brought by the PTI led government in the province is nothing except insulting of the public elected representatives. Defending the provincial government, Provincial Minister Shah Farman said that they are agreed about the breaching of the privilege of the legislators. However, he said the rejection of whole reformative process in the pretext of criticism one SHO is unjustified and tantamount to weaken own case. He said that police is answerable to the house and the Police Order Act should be debated to propose amendments in it. However, he said that all reforms could not be withdrawn.
Later, the Deputy Speaker, Dr Meher Taj Roghani announced the referring of the privilege motions of both legislators to the Standing Committee on Privileges. During the discussion, Nighat Orakzai of PPP pinpointed the lack of quorum in the house and the chair has direct ringing bells and then counting. But, the lack of quorum prompted her to adjourn the proceedings for tea break and Aser prayers. However, after the tea-break the proceedings were once again adjourned till Monday 3:00 pm.