Islamabad, 17 Oct 2023:Dr. Ehsan Sadiq, the Director-General of the National Police Bureau (NPB), confirmed the Bureau’s unwavering commitment to instituting and championing citizen-centric police reforms. This aim primarily addresses the existing trust gap between the police force and the community at large. While leading a meeting comprising senior police leadership from all provinces, Dr. Sadiq reviewed the current status of recommendations by the Police Reforms Committee, a body established as per the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s directive.

The discourse also touched upon potential reforms that could further elevate police performance across critical functional areas. Dr. Sadiq spotlighted existing legal and policy reforms, and emphasized the provinces’ augmented budgetary allocations. Initiatives such as Help Desk, Khidmat Markaz, IT-driven management systems, and swift emergency response have evidently refined the police department’s operations. However, prevalent challenges like citizens’ grievances related to FIR registration delays, subpar investigation processes, perceived corruption, and perceived non-professionalism persist.

Additionally, Dr. Sadiq acknowledged the current low conviction rate in grave crimes, attributed to fragmented coordination within the criminal justice system and existing legal loopholes. He proposed a shift from a purely statistical approach to one focused on citizen satisfaction in policing. Meeting participants unanimously agreed on the urgent need for technology-infused, citizen-centric police reforms. This also includes a reinforced accountability mechanism and a rationalized career planning strategy for the Police Service. In conclusion, attendees lauded the National Police Bureau’s pivotal role as the primary agency overseeing all police organizations within Pakistan. The press release was sourced from Press Information Department.