Center for

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Transcription
Program:

Ulasi Police

Topic: Public Police Forum in Charsadda

Date:

29-12-2016

Guest:

Sadaqat Ali Shabab, Nazim Village council

Anchor Person:

Kashif Ud Din Syed

Summary:
DPO Charsadda Mr. Suhail Khalid expressed himself explicitly about the major reforms in police
department and the real aim and logic behind all these efforts. The presence of top brass of police in
such public forums clearly indicates that police ahs opened up itself to the public and it is easy to talk
and contact police officers very easily. It was told that anybody can report his complaint through a
simple text message, telephone, fax or email and more importantly, his complaint will readily be
responded to within twenty four hours. All these reforms and modern gadgets are directed to serve the
public well but this aim cannot be materialized unless and until public also extend a helping hand to
police.

Transcription:
Kashif: I am your host Kashif with Ulasi police on behalf of CRSS. You know that we take
on rule of law and public police relation and to bridge the gaps between them. Today we are
going to discuss similar issues. We have Sadaqat Ali Shabab who is member of the local
government. We will also include some of the clips from the recently held public police
forum in Charsadda. This forum was attended by DPO Suhail Khalid and district Nazim
Fahad Azam along with other members of civil society. CRSS endeavors to hold such forums
and other TV programs as well. This radio program is also a part of these efforts. We will
include some audio clips from this forum and will discuss it. Our listeners can also call us on
0916515093. Your feedback will be highly appreciated. If you want to identify any flaws
then you can feel free to call us. You can also express your views about new councils and
claim by police about their improved behaviour. Whether you see any change when you
interact with police. Mr. Shabab, I welcome you and may ask you first that whether the
claims by police about changed behaviour and facilitation to the public holds any truth?

Shabab: thank you for inviting me here. First of all I may tell you that almost six years ago
whenever a poor an had to visit a police station then first he would go to the local well off
person and after his recommendation he would dare to step in a police station. Policemen at
the gate would appear like a monster to the public. They would not understand that police is
from us. You have started the efforts to bridge these gaps. I ask anyone who does not believe
in this change must visit a police station. Now poor people can also have done their work
easily in a police station.
Kashif: You mean that police has changed. It is also true that such forums make public and
police officers interact with other directly. Calls during this program are also listened to by
the police officers. According to police officials during this forum, police ordinance is in
vogue now and new induction is made possible to meet the deficiency. We have an audio clip
where Suhail Khalid is expressing himself. Let us listen to it,
Several police reforms are introduced. The most important point is to change the traditional
police culture and convert it into an independent and objective force. In this connection you
can see that for the last three years these reforms have affected our situation in such a
manner that traditional crimes have diminished by thirty percent and terrorism as well. There
might be other factors as well but sacrifices by police have a greater role to play in this
regard. If you compare the situation a few years ago, you can see that militancy ahs reduced
and normal life is returning. Now police is serving the common people. I may tell you about
the structural changes in police. Police has been made devoid of political influence.
Recruitment is made through NTS. District Charsadda has recruited forty new employees
through merit without any interference. Merit was strictly followed. Deserving people are
inducted now. Other tests and examinations in police are also conducted by independent
organizations like EATA and NTS. Promotion is also independent. Police has made
legislation. The most important one is Police Ordinance. Its main features are that police is
made accountable to a public forum. Police is answerable to the public now. Police officer is
answerable to the district assembly. SHO is answerable to village council. Accountability of
police is now in the hands of public and not a bureaucrat. There are other reforms too. Police
has also enacted rented building act, hotel restriction and vulnerable establishment and
places act too. These acts aim at restricting the activities of terrorists. Now rented houses are
under the vigilant eye of police. Anyone who comes to a hotel is also checked. I have
observed that these acts have helped us a lot because now we can know about any tenant or
new arrival. It has contained terrorism to a great extent.
Kashif: Dear listeners, you listened to the views of Suhail Khalid who said that police has
changed and is more ready to face any kind of situation. He also talked about NTS process
and newly inducted recruitment in Charsadda. He mentioned police act as well which is now
being considered by the provincial assembly.
Caller: Jamshed is calling from Shabqadar. It is a good program and situation in the country
is also improving.
Kashif: we were talking about Police Act but DPO also talked about merit policy in police
and depoliticizing police. Is it true?

Shabab: It is very much true and I know a poor person Called Sabaz Ali whose son qualifies
NTS and is now serving as a policeman. He had no approach to anyone and situation is
improving. But I stress that pubic should also change itself.
Kashif: You mentioned an important point that public also needs to be refined. What is your
opinion about the reforms and the role of public in regard to their responsibilities?
Shabab: This issue was also raised in the public forum that aerial firing is still happening.
Charsadda is famous for aerial firing and public is mainly responsible for controlling it. We
need to have a welfare committee in the area which should comprise of local members. This
reform committee should consult all the local people and warn them of serious consequences
if they do not comply.
Kashif: But police has also formed such committees as DRC and PLC for the facilitation of
public. DPO also talked about such reforms in the public forum. Let us listen to him,
These reforms have the spirit of public police joint community policing. Community
policing is a concept where public seek the solution to its problem and police only facilitate
them. We have constituted Dispute Resolution Council and this experiment has been a
success in the whole province. Notable local members work in consultation with police to
find solution to petty matters. Thousands of disputes have been resolved. It works in the form
of a Jirga. Moreover we have Public Liaison Councils at each police station level which
involve local people to work in cooperation with police and identify criminals or social evils.
If aerial firing is there or loudspeaker is misused then police is informed about it. We have
also established Police Assistance Line. Its new building has been completed. It is a one
window service where all kinds of documents are reported and verified. A visitor needs not to
visit other police stations but matters are readily dealt. PAL is already working in
Charsadda. Public used to complain about problems in registering their FIR and therefore
now we have Police Assistance Service where anybody can complain through phone, fax or
email. FIR is instantly registered and police officials will consult you readily. We have
publicized our telephone numbers and this service is operational. You can test it yourself. I
hope this allegation will decrease that police does not respond to the public complaints.
Kashif: DPO was taking about those bodies that are working for the facilitation of the public.
He mentioned PAS which can be utilized if complaint is not registered by a police officer.
03159007777 is the relevant number. Mr. Shabab, you talked about committees and DPO
mentioned DRC and PLC. He also said that now public can inform police about any social
evil. Whether public is aware of these committees? If not then what should be done?
Shabab: People in cities are aware of it but Charsadda has a large number of rural regions
where public not aware of it. We had held three meetings of PLC so far and we have asked
our Nazims to call local elders during their meetings so that you may receive good
suggestion. PLC is a very important body and we usually hold a meeting of this committee.
Our SHO is very active about it where all the members are called.
Kashif: how do you consult public after such meetings?

Shabab: We have asked our SHO to visit a locality during evening prayer and hold meeting
with the local elders there. We ask the local elders to be confident to visit a police station.
Terrorism is mainly possible when local supporters are available. It is a good step to counter
it.
Kashif: DPO also said that rented homes should be reported to local police station..
Caller: Arab Shah is calling from Lundai Walla. I listened to DPO who said that NTS test is
clear and transparent. I can fairly say that there are still some elements who take bribes and
use unfair means to qualify this test. Another point is that there was a polio campaign a few
days ago when I was in Mardan. I called for a car but it was forced by the policemen to carry
their members to the police station. I had to wait for three hours. I want to say that why
policemen do not have a vehicle of their own?
Kashif: You are right and the fact is that everything is not correct and clean so far. I hope your
complaint is heard by police officers. Mr. Shabab, what is your suggestion to resolve such
issues?
Shabab: Our police is very pitiable because police is involved everywhere. I also work in EPI
where policeman re asked to work with us. Facilities are not good while workload is
immense.
Kashif: Policemen fight against terror and guard other employees as well. But DPO also said
that police is trained now and their capacity is being built up. Modern technology is also
introduced. Let us listen to it.
Earlier we had a system that when a suspect was stopped. It took a long time to verify him.
But now new gadgets are introduced and through our mobile system vehicle or individual is
verified instantly. It saves a lot of time for the police and public. Similarly if a car is
suspected then we have a data base about it and we can verify it easily through a simple sms.
Ti increase the capacity of police, we have training at all levels. Every official has to receive
a relevant training to get promotion. It is making police a professional force. We have
established six different schools. It includes school of investigation which is very essential in
modern times. We have also school of intelligence where officials are trained how to collect
intelligence for operations. School of tactics, school of explosive handling, school of riot
management and school of information are opened as well. We train policemen about various
tactics and raids. Now we have trained officials in the field and our capacity has improved.
We have elite training school where special combat unit is constituted just like army
commandos. Lady Police is also a part of this commando training and they are working side
by side with men.
Kashif: Very important points were mentioned by DPO regarding fake vehicles and the
method through which these can be verified. Do you think this claim is valid by the police?
Many stolen vehicles are transported to tribal area.

Shabab: I may point out that stolen vehicles were treated under section 523/550 where SHO
used to stop vehicles and sent to laboratory. But now through mobile this can be verified
within no time. It is such an instant relief to the public.
Kashif: it is hoped that our listeners are noting down these points. It was also told that
policies now accountable to local councils. Can you ask a policeman about his duties as local
councilor?
Shabab: Yes indeed we can do that and we have done so. Common people should also think
about their own actions. We should not recommend any illegal act and may not side with the
criminals. We should support the police in these efforts.
Kashif: a big issue is that people do not want to inform police because their name is not kept
in secret.
Shabab: In regard to change in the police I may tell you that MC2 was a place where
narcotics were common ut now nobody can mention any such incident in my union council.
Kashif: District Nazim Fahad Azam also talked in this forum let us listen to him.
We have often talked about police and have alleged them time and again. It is a factor with
police but look at the role and sacrifices of police in the war on terror. We see that many
young officers and officers of every rank have been martyred. We are sitting here because of
these sacrifices. Their sacrifices during war on terror should be kept in mind. Although we
may have a bitter personal experience with police and we can complain about it with high up
but we should remember that police is affected badly by terrorism. We should remember their
sacrifices. Police team in our district is comprising all kinds of officers have worked so hard
against militants. Common people do not know about it but we are in constant consultation
with police and know it well. We are lucky to have such an efficient police team in our
district. We should cooperate with them and people from every political party and every
section of society must help them. We should lay aside our personal views and matters if we
cooperate with the then our district can improve more.
Kashif: It was Fahad Azam who praised police and stressed that public should also fulfill its
responsibilities. Police should be informed about any evil and crime. No doubt, police has
rendered valuable sacrifices.
Caller: Mukamil Shah is calling from Gul Bahar. My short message is that police has
improved a lot due to these reforms and public should cooperate and support the police. Local
government should work in consultation with the police. I like your comment that pubic is
still afraid of police but we need to identify bad elements in the society.
Kashif: Thank you calling us. Mr. Shabab, you were talking about narcotics?
Shabab: a few years ago our area was replete with narcotics but now it is devoid of this
menace. Our SHO is active and we are too. We have resolved to eradicate this menace.

Kashif: Youth must be taken on board and they can do a lot in this regard. We have another
audio clip of Fahad Azam in the same forum. Let us listen to it.
When someone has anything to do in a police station in the past, he has to consult his MP
or an elder to support him in the police station. Otherwise he dared not enter a police
station. But now police is answerable to the public and can ask policeman any information.
IG has launched a sms system and any police officer can be reported about through this
simple text message. Feedback will come within 24 hours. Awareness is still lacking. If
something bad happens to a person he does not know what to do. Our provincial government
and police has stated a very good system of sms and now anyone can report his complaint
within 24 hours. In Pashtoon belt, aerial firing is very common. We often hold meeting with
the police officers and we have instructed them to behave strictly with such culprits. But
sometime we are obliged by our relatives because aerial firing does not seem to be a crime to
common people. I request all the people to spread awareness about it. If we support the
police in this regard then I am sure we can contain this curse. It cannot be stopped without
our cooperation. I request you all to extend this support to police. Public should also be
police friendly and only then reforms will be effective otherwise all these reforms cannot
become practical.
Kashif: Fahad Azam referred to very important points. One point was aerial firing which is
not considered as a crime to common people. These stray bullets may cause the death of
someone. We have several such instances over the years. Another point was to make our
public as police friendly. We were talking about the role of youth to help us fight agonist
social evils like narcotics. We see a lot of young people being addicted to narcotics. Local
councilors have a major responsibility in this regard.
Shabab: I may conclude that our SHOs should perform his night prayer in different places in
his locality. He should establish a cordial relationship with the people. People will take
courage to approach him for any matter.
Kashif: It means barriers should be abolished and fear about police will diminish. People are
still afraid of police because of past experience. Now as a result of these reforms police
cannot ask for anything improper from the public. Police station had bad reputation and
honorable people did not like to visit a police station now we should consider police station a
friendly place and may establish cordial relations with police.
Caller: Ibrahim is calling from Hakeemabad. I agree you and aerial firing should be stopped
as mentioned by Nazim. Once a neighbor lady was injured in such an incident.
Kashif: thank you for calling us and we all should stand up against aerial firing. We are short
of time but I want to Thank You Mr. Shabab for being with us. It is good bye for now.