IN Pakistan policing is primarily a shared domain of the federal and provincial governments. However the recent proactive role of the Rangers, National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency in Sindh not only provides an opportunity to the advocates of provincial autonomy to criticise federal agencies, the efficacy of the provincial law-enforcement and anti-corruption apparatus is also being debated.

Since independence, federal governments have formed 21 commissions and committees to reform the police. The colonial Police Act, 1861 promulgated by the central government was replaced by the Police Order 2002 during Gen Musharraf’s rule.

To standardise policing functions, improve performance standards, improve coordination with provinces and improve public safety, the 2002 order provided for federal bodies such as the National Police Bureau, Police Management Board and National Public Safety Commission.

After the 18th Amendment law and order is the exclusive domain of the provinces — but the provinces still lack the will and capacity to cope with the challenges of law and order and extremism. Hence in certain situations they look towards federal help. Karachi and Balochistan are still dependent on the support of federal agencies. To reduce dependence on federal agencies the provinces should invest more in law enforcement.

The provinces still lack capacity to cope with law and order issues.

Senior police officers, popularly known as PSP officers, are borrowed from the centre. Recently, KP expressed its determination to introduce a provincial police service. The idea behind such a move is to reduce dependence on federal talent. But mere induction of officers may not serve the purpose. Prior to introduction of provincial police service, the province needs to work out training needs and career progression. To keep the proposed provincial police apolitical will be another gigantic task.

In the post-2002 order scenario, the federal government invested hefty amounts in different projects. The prime purpose was to improve policing standards in the provinces. However, most such initiatives fell victim to vested interests.

To modernise and secure police communication in 2006, the Nationwide Integrated Trunk Radio System was launched. Though NITRS offers encrypted communication, a strong lobby within police units did not accept the change. Since these were federal government-sponsored projects they elicited a lukewarm response from provincial police units.

The National Forensic Science Agency is another venture worth mentioning where modernising police investigation is concerned. Moreover, the Punjab Forensic Science Agency has proved a success story. It is the first ever provincial forensic facility in the country that offers services in 13 different disciplines.

To bring uniformity to the policing system of Balochistan, in August 2003 it was decided to abolish the levies. A five-year conversion plan was introduced. Every year, five districts were to be brought into the integrated plan.

Yet the conversion plan met stern opposition of nationalists on the pretext that levies were a purely indigenous and cost-effective force. After the passage of two resolutions by the Balo­chistan Assembly in 2006 and 2008 the conversion plan was reversed.

What has deterred the provinces from promoting police reforms? Since independence, police re­­forms have primarily re­­mained a federally driven initiative. Unfortunately, the reformist vision of provinces has primarily remained focused on in­­creasing the numerical strength of the police instead of professional capacity-building, technological dev­e­lopment and increase of financial allocation.

Owing to the ongoing challenges, the centre and the provinces need to reformulate the equation regarding anti-terrorism, counterterrorism, anti-corruption, traffic management on highways and intelligence collection.

Practically speaking, policing should be the exclusive domain of provincial and local governments; intelligence and anti-corruption a shared jurisdiction of the centre and provinces; and counterterrorism and enforcement on federal highways under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government.

After the 18th Amendment the provinces are caught in the fever of ‘provincialisation’ of law enforcement. There were high expectations that the provinces would try their best to introduce innovations in law enforcement. Contrary to these expectations Sindh and Balochistan disowned the PO 2002 and opted for the outdated colonial recipe of Police Act, 1861.

In Pakistan the federal government needs to intervene in areas of uniform police law, standardised recruitment, training, safety protocols and equipment while enforcement is to be completely left to the provinces. The centre should assume the regulatory, coordination and specialised law-enforcement functions.

The writer is a police officer.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2015

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