KP lawmakers want cut in police powers

PESHAWAR: Lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, including those from the treasury and opposition benches, on Thursday demanded amendments to the Police Act 2017 to take back powers from the police chief and return them to the chief executive of the province again.

Speaking on the cut motions on the demands for grants for the Police Department during the budget session, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Housing Dr Amjad Ali said the low-rank officials in the police force had offered great sacrifices in the war against terrors and elimination of the crimes but the police officers above the inspector rank had misused the powers under the Police Act 2017.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had empowered the police under the Police Act in 2017 so that they could perform professional duties without any political interference but now we regret that decision,” he added.

The special assistant added that during the last caretaker setup in KP, the police had unleashed all atrocities and violated the privacy of the families while arresting and raiding the houses of PTI leaders and workers in the province.

“A Tiktoker DPO in Swat had misguided and even denied compensation to the victims of an explosion inside the police station in Swat last year where at least 22 police constables were martyred and dozens of others injured,” Dr Amjad Ali said.

He added that 10 mobile vans escorted the DPOs and all roads were blocked during their movements.

The cabinet member asked all the MPAs, ministers and advisors not to rely on police escort and security and to give them back to the Police Department as he said that the police could not protect their own lives, how would they protect the elected representatives?

Dr Amjad Ali said that about 800 police officials had been provided to Amn Committee members in Swat who use them for carrying out their personal tasks.

“A special committee of the House should be formed to propose amendments to the Police Act and then get them passed from the provincial assembly,” he suggested.

The parliamentary party leader of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazal (JUIF), Maulana Lutfur Rehman, said his party had opposed unlimited powers to police under the Police Act 2017 when the act was being passed by the provincial assembly but the then KP government had given more powers to police chief instead of elected representatives of the province. He advocated for making certain amendments to the Police Act at the earliest.

Provincial Minister for Finance Aftab Alam said the KP police had rendered services and offered sacrifices in fighting terrorism and militancy.

He said the provincial government had allocated huge funds for the Police Department to equip the cops with the latest weapons, vehicles and self-defense equipment.

“The reservations of honourable members about the police force are worth consideration but we have to accept as well their sacrifices against militancy in the province,” he argued.

Earlier, JUIF MPA Adnan Wazir said the law and order situation in the province, particularly in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was deteriorating with each passing day, saying the people were not safe even in their homes.

“Target killing had become a routine in the southern districts while the people get calls for extortions from the unknown people,” he said and questioned what steps the government or law-enforcing agencies were taking to protect the life and property of the citizens in the province.

Some of the MPAs suggested an increase in the salaries and incentives of the police force so that they could live a better life.

They said that compared to the Punjab and other provinces, the KP cops were drawing lower salaries and facilities, demanding the latest technology and weapons to the police performing duties in the most sensitive areas of the province.