Pakistanis have a number of bodies to which they can lodge complaints about the conduct of police personnel.

The first Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) was established in Sindh province in August 1989 (Government of Sindh n.d.a). In January 1993 the CPLC was expanded and five district-level committees were established in Karachi (ibid.). Each committee is comprised of seven members drawn from a "cross-section of apolitical citizens as recommended by the Chief CPLC to the Governor [of] Sindh" (ibid.). Among the many functions of the CPLC are the following:

· To satisfy itself that FIRs are duly registered and no FIR/Complaint is refused.

· To find out if dilatory tactics are being adopted by the Investigating Officers in investigating the cases.

· To find out if the processes are being served properly.

· To report the acts of misconduct or neglect of duty on part of any police officer.

· Citizens Complaints.

· To create confidence, remove misunderstanding and narrow down the credibility gap between the police and members of the public.

· To appraise the SHO [Station House Officer] of the police station with the genuine grievances of the members of the public/residents of that area, with a view to look into the causes and suggest remedial measures (ibid. n.d.b).

The five CPLC reporting cells are reportedly located in the offices of the District Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) to allow "easy access of general public to lodge their complaints" (ibid. n.d.a).

The Sindh Police also maintains a "helpdesk" on its Website to which citizens may forward complaints, problems or requests for assistance (n.d.). According to information on the Website, an officer at the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) receives all letters, applications and complaints on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh, the top police official in the province (ibid.).

On 16 November 1999 Dawn reported that the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Lahore, Punjab province, had established a "Range Police Complaint Authority" to hear complaints against police officials. According to the report,

... the newly-set up authority, headed by the discipline and inquiry superintendent of police, Lahore, would deal with complaints regarding corruption, misuse of powers, torture and illegal detention.

The authority would report its findings to the Lahore DIG within seven days for necessary action. Similarly, a special cell has been set up under the supervision of the crime range SP to entertain complaints regarding substandard investigations, delay in investigations and non-registration of first information reports. The crime range DSP and Lahore ADIG would be the members of the cell.

The [police] spokesman said a panel of well-reputed police officials had also been set up to conduct impartial investigation into complicated cases. He said open kutcheries [open houses; open meetings] would be organized by the Lahore range police. The date of each kutchery would be announced in the Press and the police of the area concerned would not be involved in the arrangements.

The spokesman said the complaints can also be sent to the Lahore range DIG office by post or fax No 9211343. A special counter has been set up at the DIG office for receiving all the complaints (ibid.).

In early March 2000 a focus group established by General Pervez Musharraf to make recommendations on police reform, improving law and order, and depoliticizing state institutions proposed that an independent authority be established to handle complaints about the police (Dawn 27 Feb. 2000; ibid. 3 Mar. 2000; ibid. 5 Mar. 2000; ibid. 11 Mar. 2000). The establishment of a Police Complaint Authority (PCA) in all provinces and at the federal level was seen as critical to restoring public confidence in the way complaints against the police are handled (ibid.; ibid. 27 Feb. 2000). On 15 August 2000, Pakistan's independence day, General Musharraf released the text of his Local Government Plan 2000 (Dawn 16 Aug. 2000), articles 124 through 127 of which deal with establishment of the Police Complaint Authority:

124. There will be an independent Police Complaints Authority (PCA) in each province with district presence where required, to deal with serious complaints against the police.

125. The Police Complaints Authority will consist of a Chairman and six members.

126. The Chairman Police Complaints Authority will be appointed by the Provincial Chief Minister, whereas the members will be appointed by the Provincial Home Minister out of a panel recommended by the Provincial Public Safety Commission.

127. There will be an independent Police Complaint Authority for the Federal Capital, which will deal with serious complaints against federal law enforcement agencies, Islamabad Police, Motorway Police, Railway Police, Federal Investigation Agency, and Anti-Narcotics Force. It will have a Chairman and two to four members. Its Chairman will be appointed by the Prime Minister, and members by the Minister of Interior (ibid.).

A recent (October 2000) Human Rights Watch report on the post-coup human rights situation in Pakistan does not discuss the Police Complaint Authority.

No reports mentioning the treatment of people who lodge complaints about police misconduct could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Dawn [Karachi]. 16 August 2000. "Local Government Plan 2000." http://dawn.com/events/plan2000/police.htm [Accessed 16 Oct. 2000]

_____. 11 March 2000. "Focal Group on Police Reforms Calls for Depoliticising Police." http://dawn.com/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2000]

_____. 5 March 2000. "Police Reforms Likely from July 1: Moin." http://dawn.com/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2000]

_____. 3 March 2000. Habib Khan Ghori. "DMG Officials Oppose Change in Police Setup." http://dawn.com/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2000]

_____. 27 February 2000. "Police Reforms: Separate Complaint Authority Suggested." http://dawn.com/ [Accessed 29 Feb. 2000]

_____. 16 November 1999. "Lahore: Police Complaint Authority Set Up." http://dawn.com/ [Accessed 16 Nov. 1999]

Government of Sindh. n.d.a. "Functioning of CPLC." http://www.sindh.gov.pk/CPLC/points_1_3.htm [Accessed 16 Oct. 2000]

_____" n.d.b. "Functioning of CPLC." http://www.sindh.gov.pk/CPLC/ points_4_6.htm [Accessed 16 Oct. 2000]

Human Right Watch (HRW). October 2000. Reform or Repression?: Post-Coup Abuses in Pakistan. http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000pakistan/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2000]

Sindh Police. n.d. "Helpdesk." http://www.sindhpolice.gov.pk/Hel_dk.html [Accessed 16 Oct. 2000]

IRB databases.

LEXIS-NEXIS.

World News Connection (WNC).

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Jane's Information Group.

Karachipage.com.

UK Home Office country assessments.