A Public Meeting titled ‘Rule of Law: Policing ´ Perception and Reality’ was organized on Wednesday, January 29, 2014, in Karachi as part of CRSS-GIZ Capacity Development of Sindh Police (CDSP) project advocacy campaign.

The objective of the Public Meeting was: to support improvement of the public image of the Sindh police; create demand for professional police services among the general public; explain and advocate the need for revision of the police laws of 1861; advocate for change and improvement of existing working and structure of the police service; and promote the need and demand for a professional and effectively and efficiently working police force for Sindh.

The participants called for reforms in police system, training, provision of technology and modern means of policing to combat crime and terrorism. Senator Saeed Ghani of the PPP, MQM member of Sindh Assembly Khwaja Izharul Hasan, Akhtar Hussain, former vice chairman of Pakistan Bar Council, DIG CID Zafar Bukhari, Sindh AIG (retd) Zafar Farooqui, Asif Chamdia, chairman of Law and Order Committee of the Karchi Chamber of Commerce and Industry spoke on the occasion.

CRSS Executive Director Mr Imtiaz Gul briefed the participants and audience about the purpose of holding the meeting.

The speakers were of the view that numerical strength of Sindh police was not enough to face the security challenges, it lacked training and specialization besides equipment and modern tools of policing and investigation.

While stressing the need for reforms and behavioral change in the police, speakers appreciated the efforts of the police and its sacrifices in fighting the crime especially terrorism.

They, however, criticized dichotomy in the existing system where Rangers are governed by a different authority and police do not have any control over them. It was proposed that Rangers be merged in the police and put under the Inspector General of Police.

The speakers linked the worsening situation with governance. They called for making police free of political pressure. They also supported increase in police salary and a well-thought welfare plan for the victim families of the police officials.