HYDERABAD: Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) A.D.

Khwaja has said that joint interrogation team (JIT) reports do not have much legal value as a case could not be made merely on the basis of such reports.

He was speaking at a gathering organised by the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Industry and later tojournalists at an Iftar party that followed on Monday.

A JIT did not have much legal value; facts contained in JITs were always investigated by police, he said, adding that `things don`t end at [recording of J statements of suspects`.

He explained that a suspect could not be charge-sheeted on the basis of JITs unless evidence were there.

The IGP said that a JIT comprising representatives of various agencies was formed to interrogate a particularsuspectso thatnoaspect of the charges to be investigated should go unnoticed.

`JIT reports are handed over to police because it is their job to prepare a case and Ele itin a court of law,` he said.In reply to a question about the JIT of Lyari gang warfare character Uzair Baloch, the IGP insisted that all the members of the JIT had signed its report.

He, however, avoided mal(ing any comment on the recently leaked videos of former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain and Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist Minhaj Qazi, who have been recording their statements in custody.

`The videos have become a subject of controversy,` the IGP remarked.

He said structural reforms were needed in police to enhance their operational capacity. Gadgets were required for police for investigation. `This is a very important aspect in police investigation which plays a significant role in their performance,` he said.

He maintained that working conditions of police training colleges/ schools needed to be revamped.

He said that around 6,000 traffic policemen were yet to be recruited.

The IGP said efforts were under way to rid police of corruption and ensure transparency in the procurement as well as recruitment process. All these efforts would lead to structural reforms in police, he added.He stated that police rules were re-framed for promotion and seniority purposes to put an end to the menace of out-of-turn promotions.

Benevolent funds` problems were addressed and a welfare board was formed with the representation of private people, including businessmen, he said.

Earlier, he told businessmen that police-public relationship would be ideal to keep an eye on police`s performance with a positive frame of mind.

He urged chamber`s cooperation to change `thana culture` and said that unless this culture was radically changed, general public would not get its benefit.

On the occasion, he asked ASP Suahee Talpur to look into an alleged action by the Anti Encroachment Cell (AEC) against one of the members of chamber.

He asked Hyderabad SSP Irfan Baloch to set up a police post in Site for which he would provide resources.

Alldysfunctional`madadgar`helplines should be activated by police, he said and promised to provide vehicles and other resources more than Hyderabad`s quota.

Chamber president Akram Ansari welcomed the Sindh IGP.