IG, KP Response to Challenges Sayed Fawad Ali Shah The new
Inspector General of Police, KP Dr.SanaullahAbbassi, has aroused a number of
official and public expectations due to three fold reasons : First, the PTI
manifesto and trust of PM Imran Khan is not to be betrayed as far as
accountability, fairness and justice are concerned ; secondly, the KP Police has
been a very brave , bold, competent, ready to sacrifices and committed force but
there has serious leadership issues in it in the last few years, and certain
officers have turned into a mafia and pressure groups which need correction ;
and thirdly, the new IGP has been known as an academic, upright,
straightforward, institutional-minded, and an officer of established integrity.
Corruption, grouping and indecisive policy- making is not his style. He believes
in across the board accountability and quick decision making in the public
interest. Owing to the above situation and expectations where a popular police
force like that of KP is marred with the spots of corruption, especially the
notorious Arms Scandal and Polio Scandal, on one hand and terrorist attacks on
the other, make the job of the new IGP a bit difficult. The PTI believes, at
least, in letter if not in spirit, in a free hand to the IGP as enunciated in
the Police Act, 2017, a landmark legislation by the previous PTI provincial
government, 2013-2018. However, the crime and corruption in Peshawar is beyond
imagination. The Peshawar Police is not less than the Punjab police in terms of
corruption, malpractices, and in addition to the poor professional skills which
is evident from the abysmally low recoveries, poor conviction and high crime
rate. Fake recoveries, stealing of weapons from Malkhana, tampering in cases,
replacement of original case weapons with fake darra-made weapons, connivance
with land mafia, businesses in property and drugs and NCP-vehicles smugglings
are a few chronic issues of Peshawar police. Almost all CCPOs and SSPs
operations have made billions in these malpractices. So, the first challenge is
that how to cleanse the Peshawar police. Mere a transfer of a few SHOs or DSPs
is not the answer. It needs a competent CCPO but who is bold and strong enough
to control the unruly police in Peshawar, as in the past, even a few SHOs
threatened a CCPO in his office. It needs a man of strong family background and
who understands the dynamics of the city of Peshawar and who can lay hands on
land mafia, but he should not be addicted to cannabis, ice, hashish, or any
other moral turpitude. Crime bugging, fake recoveries, income from Peshawar
traffic, funds embezzlement and posting of SHOs on considerations and Moharir-
Mafia are the biggest challenges in the city of Peshawar. Peshawar police is the
face of whole KP Police Another challenge is that of putting an end to the
grouping of officers. It started with the IGPs in the past, especially in the
period of ex. IG Riffat Pasha and sadly to say, kept followed subsequently by
all with the exception of ex. IG Muhammad Tahir ; however, he too succumbed to
the dictates of ex. IG Nasir Durrani, a personality behind his posting in KP and
Punjab. This unfortunate situation has deterred a number of good officers in the
past and the ' unwanted,' 'nonconformists' and 'leftists' were either sent to
Baluchistan, Sindh, GB, AJK, and some took refuge in the federal agencies like
FC, IB and now NACTA. Another anomaly is that certain officers think that the
coveted, high profiled and fieldpostings are only their privilege and right.
They enjoy DPO- ship and RPO- ship consecutively and regularly, no matter who is
in the political governments. They have developed strong links with all parties
and have become filthy rich, so they can afford such luxuries. Whenever they are
assigned some desk jobs or low profile tasks, they at once move out to other
agencies and provinces. This tradition has to be discouraged out-rightly.
Shaheed SafwatGhayur spent fourteen long years in offices including the IB;
Shaheed MalakSaad spent ten long years in CPO; ex. IG Dr.Naeem Khan spent three
years in the CPO; ex. IG SalhuddinMehsud spent four years in CTD, but today no
one wants to spend a single day in CPO, training, investigation, CTD, campus,
Special Branch, FRP, etc. Why? This is a big challenge. According to a retired
police officer, “ In the past we used to give equal opportunities of policing to
a young ASP or SP, both in rural and urban areas and on the higher management
level, a senior officer would be given a chance in the field as well as in the
allied units and CPO, so they understand the policy making and rules and welfare
of the force, but today the IGs have little idea of the career- planning of
their officers” When asked to comment on the initial days of the new IG, KP
Dr.Abbassi, a senior officer on the condition of anonymity, told this scribe
that, “ After a long time, after Abbas Khan, we are watching a decision making
with delegated authority by the IGP. He believes in fair play and transparency.
Also, he believes in quick decisions and actions. He has regards for seniority
and merit and he has no likes and dislikes. The marginalized and victimised
officers at all levels are happy on his style of administration and hopefully he
will meet the challenges as his action against the NAB- convicted is an example,
and people expect that he will remove all the accused officers in Arms Scandal
and Polio Scandal and will purge the Peshawar city police from corrupt and
criminal elements.”Let’s hope that the expectations of the public and the force
are fulfilled and the situation is not returned to square one again.