Police Act, judicial system enforced in Fata

PESHAWAR: The federal government has enforced Police Act 1861 and judicial system to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in an attempt to give policing powers to the Levies force in the region, sources said on Saturday. The Levies offices have been replaced by police  and no officer less than the rank of Naib Tehsildar would be appointed as police officer.

The policing powers and judicial structure, along the lines of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been enforced in Fata, after approval by President Mamnoon Hussain, the sources said, reported Geo News. The changes empower the political agent with judicial powers. The changes dictate judicial role for the political agent, subordinate offices as well as nomenclature changes in the office of the Levies forces that substitute the Police Act to be implemented in the villages but with changes in the context of Fata.

The term ‘Commandant of the Federal Levies Force’ has been replaced with ‘Inspector General of Police’. The term ‘court’ as defined under the amended act would now mean the ‘court of assistant political agent Landi Kotal’, and ‘special court under the high court’.

‘Tehsil Landikotal’ includes Torkham, Khyber Agency bounded by the village Bacha Mela, Torkham Gate, Shamshad Hill Top watershed and Ayub FC Picket Kabalo Mela. The political agent of the relevant jurisdiction will now hold the powers of a session judge, magistrate, magistrate of first class, district magistrate while the APA will be a judicial magistrate. An official notification of the changes is expected to be issued today, the sources said.