PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) President and Senator Aimal Wali Khan has criticised the proposed amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2017, saying the changes could face legal challenges.
Aimal Wali Khan said his party was the only one that had opposed the Police Act when it was introduced in 2017.
“Our position was clear that vesting all powers in a single individual would create deterioration rather than improvement in the police force,” he said.
He said the ANP had also opposed the promotion of officers from other provinces against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial quota under the law.
“Even today, if what is being done is challenged in court, the court will strike it down,” Aimal Wali Khan said.
According to the ANP president, the proposed amendment also appeared to be inconsistent with Article 11(1) of the Police Order 2002 and the applicable Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) cadre rules and regulations.
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He further claimed that the federal government had a legal role in matters concerning the repatriation or return of an Inspector General of Police (IG).
“Who is giving them such advice? I do not know,” he remarked.
Aimal Wali Khan also questioned the claims of police reforms made after the enactment of the KP Police Act 2017.
He recalled that the then PTI leadership had repeatedly claimed at public gatherings that the police had been freed from political influence following the introduction of the law.
“What is being done today? Are these the same police reforms that were being claimed?” he asked.
