News
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Nawaz for modern policing to weed out terrorismLAHORE: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Saturday called for a more vigilant and modern policing coupled with an effective coordination among all relevant institutions to eliminate the menace of terrorism and crimes from the society.
While, co-chairing a high-level meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on the Police Reforms here at Model Town, he said the police department must conduct investigations on merit and submit their challans to respective courts for an early dispensation of justice to the aggrieved people. The prime minister also directed the Punjab Acting IGP Khan Baig to chalk out a comprehensive strategy, while keeping well in view the optimum utilisation of modern technology and equipment as well as a coordinated intelligence for better policing, and gave him (the PM) a detailed presentation within a week.
He said that none of the countries in the world except Pakistan where hundreds of innocent people were being killed in terrorist attacks and bomb blasts, and “Our public places and even the mosques and Imambargha are attacked by the terrorists.” The monster of terrorism had ultimately affected severely the country’s trade and economy and the nation was faced with energy crisis and power load-shedding, he mentioned.
The prime minister said police and other relevant departments would have to bring necessary changes and thorough reforms in the system to weed-out terrorism and crimes in a real manner.
Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Shahbaz Sharif apprised the PM that provincial government was devising a comprehensive policy to control weaponisation- show of weapons, control its supply, cancellation of un-necessary weapon licences.
The Prime Minister said, “I will fully support this initiative of de-weaponisation, as it is a great virtue.” He also stressed the need for constituting a task-force involving the private sector and social figures for this sacred cause of purging the society of fatal weapons. He also directed the Federal Interior Minister to expedite work on ascertaining the genuineness of 34,000 weapon licences issued by the last federal government.
Taking stock of ‘Thana Culture’ and negative image of police at grassroots level, the prime minister directed for renovating the dilapidated police stations, besides training and capacity building of policemen on modern line to bring it par at international standards. “Police councils consisting of notable and good character people, retired bureaucrats and judge should be constituted at police station level to maintain a check on the performance of the investigation process as well as find out of the box solutions to petty disputes without going into any legal/investigation procedures,” he asserted.
During the briefing, the prime minister also agreed with suggestion of making amendment in the relevant police laws to define and make more practical role of the police department.
He also stressed the need for exploring the possibility of outsourcing the entire traffic system to manage the traffic flow in a better manner, as being done in the developed countries.
During the briefing the acting IGP apprised the premier and the Punjab CM that service centres would be set up where qualified staff clad in civil dress would facilitate the public complainants, which would be forwarded to respective police stations. However, the prime minister pointed out that new service centres would not be able to deliver any good to the aggrieved people, as their complaints were forwarded to that old and faulty police system for investigation. He cited, “The people are really fed-up and exhausted of the Thana Culture and negative behaviour of the police.”
He said that it would be better to recruit and train these qualified young people in one go rather in phases, as it would help avoid any confusion, while performing their duties.
The CM observed that dilapidated condition and congested location of police stations were also a source of fear and hesitation for the complainant to visit the PS. He directed for relocation of such police station at prominent places accessed easily by the people. The chief Mminister informed the PM that Forensic Science Laboratory established at a cost of Rs 3 billion, had substantially reduced the complications in the investigation of criminal cases. The meeting was also attended by Provincial Ministers – Rana Sana Ullah Khan and Rana Mashhood Ahmed, MNA Pervez Malik, MPAs, Punjab Secretary Javed Aslam, Federal Secretary Religious Affairs Shahid Khan, Punjab Secretary Law Syed Abul Hassan, Punjab’s acting IGP Khan, IG Motorway Police Zulfiqar Cheema, Additional Secretary to the PM Fawad Hassan Fawad, PPSC Member Tariq Saleem Dogar and other high-ups of the relevant departments. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk