Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa expressed concern over alarming rate of acquittal in murder cases due to different flaws in investigations. The chief justice, who is also the Chairman Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) was chairing a meeting of the Police Reforms Committee (PRC) held on Monday in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The meeting was participated by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Senior Puisne Judge, serving IGPs from all four provinces, ICT, GB, AJ&K and former Inspector Generals of Police Afzal Ali Shigri, (Convener), Asad Jahangir Khan, Dr Shoaib Suddle, Tariq Khosa, and designated Director General of National Police Bureau
Captain Arif Nawaz Khan (retd), Inspector General of Police, Punjab, informed about the working of District Assessment Committees (DACs). He informed that from
01-01-2019 till 31-07-2019, the 31% conviction and 69% acquittal rate in 2586 total murder cases decided in Punjab.
All IGPs informed that DACs have been established across the county at district level comprising a retired District and Sessions Judge, SP Investigation, investigating officer prosecutor, senior Lawyer having experience in Criminal Cases and a young Lawyer.
The mandate assigned to DACs is to evaluate the judgements passed in the murder cases and review cases of acquittal and bail. The DACs are effectively working for improving the quality of investigations.
The chief justice showed his full confidence and satisfaction on the working of complaint redressal centers and DACs, and said that with the efforts of the member of the PRC first two steps ie complaint redressal mechanism and establishment of DACs to review the cases of acquittal and bails for improving the quality of investigation, have been successfully accomplished. The public has shown their confidence and trust on the working of police complaint cells. This has reduced the unnecessary burden of thousands of cases on judiciary. Besides, the general public remain as beneficiary of these complaint cells as relief has been extended to them being speedy and without additional monetary burden which is their fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Justice Gulzar Hussain emphasized upon need of confidence building of public at large upon police and said that police need to play its role for improvement in law and order situation in the country specially in the rural areas. He said that majority of the population of the country is residing in the rural areas and there is likelihood of exertion of pressure techniques upon police by the local influential persons in such situation role of the police becomes more important in finding the truth from false and motivated criminal cases.
The chief justice while giving future plan of working of PRC, emphasized upon need of role of National Police Bureau to devise a uniform strategy across the country regarding correct narration of FIR, un-necessary arrest, and false evidence so that misuse and abuse of process of registration of criminal cases and department of police could be discouraged.
It was unanimously decided that the Committee will consider these important issues as a next step for successfully achieving the goal of Police Reforms in the Country, in the meantime National Police Bureau with consultation of all the inspector generals of Police will prepare a proposal on aforementioned issues and will share with the committee.
Dr Muhammad Raheem Awan, Secretary LJCP welcomed informed the participants that in Public Complaint Redressal Centers 24387 complaints were pending on 01-01-2019, 77451 complaints were instituted and 95041 complaints were disposed of from 01.01.2019 to 15-9-2019 and also gave figures of actions taken against delinquent Police Officers/Staff by imposing 144 major and 479 minor Penalties during this period.
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