Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Pervez Khattak said that his government will introduce Police Reforms bill 2016, in upcoming session of the provincial assembly, meant to ensure more autonomy, accountability and transparency in the police force. He said that they depoliticized the police by giving administrative and functional autonomy to them.
He said that the bill would be passed soon to further improve the police performance by establishing Public Safety Commission at district level. He said that after passing the bill from the assembly, district police officer would than work under district council to keep check on police performance.
After establishing Public Safety Commission, citizen could register complaints against police officers. Under the proposed bill, the Public Safety Commission was empowered to take cognisance of cases of police neglect, abuse of authority and conduct inquiry against district police chief on its own initiative or on resolution passed by district assembly.
Counting government reforms in police department during a press conference other day, along with IGP KP, Ministers and others, Khattak said that KP was the first province by introducing counter terrorism department, rapid response force and recruitments on purely on merit basis. Expressing satisfaction with police performance, Chief Minister said that thana system working properly in the province and there is no interference from the government side.
While explaining the salient features of the police reforms order, KP IGP said the reforms will be promulgated in shape of ordinance through the provincial assembly, and termed it a swift paradigm shift towards giving autonomous as well as accountable police force in the province.
"We have tried to keep balance between autonomy and accountability of the force, besides strengthening and empowerment of the police and law enforcement institutions, Durrani said. He said recruitment was made through conduct of NTS in police, and said they had not received single complaint regarding irregularities in induction of police force since introduction of the new recruitment system in the province.
The IGP KP said the existing projects have been institutionalised. He said a proper counter terrorism had been established while keeping in view present circumstances of the province. He revealed there were 282 police stations across KP, out of which 40% lack proper building.
He informed that Rs 120 million would be spent for establishment of police station on modern line. He said due to undersized financial resources, the provincial government could not provide huge amount to provide building facility to 40 percent police stations. He, however, said it will do gradually.
KP Chief Minister while recounting the achievement of PTI-led provincial government said that they had introduced reforms in health, education, as well as police force. He said the incumbent provincial government had taken practical steps to deliver the masses in the province. He said people have seen change everywhere in the province, which had promised by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) during last general elections. He vowed they will bring further reforms and would initiate mega development projects across the province.
Without naming any political rivals, he said those people talking about failure of PTI-led provincial government, should come to the province, and see the change which had began everywhere. He said they had taken practical steps instead of raising hollow slogans.
He said more than 40,000 teachers would be recruited in province, which strength of teaching staff will touch to 150,000 across the province. Similarly, he said the 1500 doctor have so far recruited, while 2,700 will be inducted in the next phase. He said the government had taken steps to provide clean drinking water facility, establishment of boundary walls, and provision of other basic facilities at government-run schools in the province.