Police Organisations in Pakistan - Commonwealth Human Rights ...

2.6 AccountabilityIn the event that a police officer does not fulfil his/her duties, or engages inactive wrongdoing, the average citizen has some avenues of recourse. First, acitizen can lodge a complaint with the concerned police department as everyprovincial police establishment has some form of internal disciplinary proceeding.However, in the interest of ensuring that every complaint is treated fairly andwithout prejudice, it is always a good idea to have an independent complaintsauthority for the police. Doing so will increase the likelihood that a complainantwill have his/her grievance(s) addressed in an impartial and expeditious manner.To this end, the Police Order, 2002 (and its subsequent amendments) createdaccountability mechanisms at the district, provincial and national levels. Inregards to the district level, the Police Order established the District PublicSafety and Police Complaints Commission (DPSPCC). The main responsibilitiesof the DPSPCC include: approve the Local Policing Plan; 57 “take steps to preventthe police from engaging in any unlawful activity arising out of compliance withunlawful or mala fide orders”; 58 cause registration of FIR within 48 hours whenwarranted; 59 hear complaints; 60 conduct fact-finding; 61 and refer a matter to theProvincial Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission if the Head ofDistrict Police does not act on the matter. 62 A significant problem with DPSPCCsis that very few have been set up throughout Pakistan and when they have beenset up, they have little impact since their powers are often merelyrecommendatory and not binding. The failure of these bodies to have “teeth”means that they are often ignored.Similar to the DPSPCCs, one of the objectives of the Provincial Public Safetyand Police Complaints Commission (PPSPCC) is to “take steps to prevent thepolice from engaging in any unlawful activity arising out of compliance withunlawful or mala fide orders.” 63 However, it also has the important roles offacilitating the establishment and functioning of the Citizen Police LiaisonCommittees (CPLCs); 64 coordinating the functioning of the DPSPCCs; 65overseeing the implementation of the Provincial Policing Plan; 66 andrecommending reforms for the modernisation of laws and procedures. 67Essentially, the PPSPCC is expected to ensure that the commission systemfunctions properly in the respective province. 6830