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Police Reform in South Asia

Democratic nations need democratic policing. Effective policing must be based on accountability, transparency and participation of people. Unfortunately, in post colonial South Asia, policing has not kept pace with democratic aspirations. Across the South Asian region, police reform and police accountability are key human rights concerns. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has taken up these concerns on a regional level in its publication “Feudal Forces: Democratic Nations”.

“Colonial era laws (based on the British Police Act from 1861) set up a system of regime policing that allows and supports abuse of the community by the police. The laws and the way policing has developed in the region has led to a situation today that is conducive to police malpractice. … The police of South Asia must be radically overhauled to bring them into line with the modern practices of democratic policing and accountability.”

In July, CHRI conducted an event in Pakistan together with the Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP). Though the country has figured in CHRI’s research, and CHRI has hosted interns and exchanges to build technical capacity of activists, this was the first time CHRI actually hosted an event in Pakistan. It was done with the support and encouragement of the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit which is presently supporting CHRI’s expansion into the South Asian region.

Pakistan was the first country in South Asia to initiate legislative reforms on the issue of policing with the Police Order (2002). However the reforms passed in 2002 were significantly curtailed by amendments that were subsequently introduced.

The opening remarks by Ms. Daruwala, Director of CHRI, and the inaugural address by Mr. Afzal Shigri (former Inspector General of Police) emphasized the need to move beyond merely complaining about the police. In order to address the issue appropriately, technical aspects of reforms require examination. In view of the increasing perceptions of public insecurity in Pakistan, the participants were concerned about the lack of will to repair an already fragile system.

The overall conclusion of the workshop was that it is necessary to promote political will as well as public engagement on the technical issues. The workshop did create links within those attending and a desire to take these discussions forward with the aim to gradually build momentum for democratic police reforms in Pakistan.

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Feudal Forces: Democratic Nations

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