KARACHI: Senior police officers expressed serious concerns over the draft Sindh Police Act, 2017 as the provincial government, without sharing the final draft law with them or even with civil society, was going to table the bill in the upcoming assembly session for legislation, itemerged on Friday.

A special committee formed for bringing reforms in the laws governing the Sindh police comprising the home, law and health ministers, senior police officers, provincial law officers and members of civil society held deliberations on the draft Sindh Police Act 2017. The committee held three meeting and the last one was held on Friday.

But what set alarm bells ringing in the police quarters was the secrecy the provincial government was maintaining in the final draft law, which had not been shared with all members of the Police Reforms Committee as well as relevantstakeholders.

Informed sources told Dawn that the draft law prepared by the Sindh police had been ofñcially submitted to the provincial government but both the law minister and the advocate general of Sindh gave an `impression` that `90 per cent` recommendations of the police department had been incorporated in the proposed legislation. However, 10pc changes would be brought in it by the provincial government before presenting it to the assembly.

The sources said that the proposed 10pc changes in the draft law had not been shared with the police officers and even somemembers of the reforms committee.

Modern, democratic law needed for police On Friday, the third meeting of the committee was held in the Sindh Assembly building and Law Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar chaired it. Additional Inspector General Sanaullah Abbasi, the chief of the CounterTerrorism Department, gave a presentation about the proposed legislation. DIG South Azad Khan and AIG Forensic Division Javed Akbar Riaz assisted the CTD chief.

The police reforms body wastold that it was imperative that the police were administered through a modern, effective and democratic law that fulfilled the aspirations of the public.

The law minister told newsmen after the meeting that the Sindh cabinet would discuss the Sindh Police Act 2017 in its meeting on Saturday (today). He also said that the reservations of the police officers would be addressed.

He further said some senior police officers wanted Rangers and other paramilitary forces under the control of the Sindh police.

CTD chief Abbasi later told Dawn that they proposed operational and administrative autonomy for the police, which should be brought under `democratic control` instead of bureaucratic oversight.

He said that a major part of the proposed law, prepared by the police officers who were members of the committee, was `compatible` with the legislation introduced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said they proposed a `police monitoring and coordination authority` for oversight besides setting up the `criminal justice committees` for speedy justice and effective monitor-ing of the criminal justice system.

Furthermore, a `citizen-police forum` was also proposed to maintain an effective contact between the citizens and the police in order to improve service delivery.

Concerns over separate provincial cadre for police The sourcesrevealedthatthe police ofncers also conveyed their concerns to the meeting over a host of issues.

They said that the police expressed concerns over media reports that under the new law a separate Sindh Police Service cadre would be created.`If this is correct, it will have serious consequences for the police as this effects unity of command and causes compartmentalisation in the police department,` reads a letter written to IGP Sindh A.D. Khowaja by a member of the committee. `This will also be in conflict with the Constitution of Pakistan and various court rulings.

The police officers proposed to the IGP that the Sindh government might be approached and asked toshare the proposed police law with the department so that the police leadership and field formations could be consulted and their feedback may be incorporated in the document.

`The police are concerned that thedraft prepared by the Police Reforms Committee has not been shared with the police department so far, therefore, the police have proposed that the draft law not only be shared and discussed with the police but also with other stakeholders before it was finalised for submission to the standing committee, cabinet or assembly,` said a sources familiar with the development.

The sources said that the KP police law was debated and shared continuously for two years before being passedbythehouse.

They added that the Sindh police prepared a `soft law` as compared to the KP which empowered the IGP toappoint and transfer even additional inspectors general.

Operational, administrative autonomy necessary The police ofEcers also suggested that operational and administrative autonomy of police should be ensured for effective public service delivery.

The IGP `should be designated exofficio secretary with full financial and administrative powers` The police also recommended that `the law must ensure that recruitment, promotion and procurement in the police department are done in a transparent manner and purely on merit`Besides, the law should also ensure functional specialisation and modernisation of police.

`Security of tenure of IGP, Additional IG Karachi and DPOs to be secured and the tenure of these important police posts should not be less than two years,` a police proposal said.

The police also recommended that in order to ensure accountability, effective oversight mechanism should be provided in the law.

Members of the Police Reforms Committee from the police had got input from around 10-15 senior serving and retired police ofñcers including former IGPs Nasir Durrani, Shoaib Suddle and Afzal Shigri.