A report based on monitoring of 176 police stations in 94 districts during October-December 2012

Islamabad, 12^th April, 2013: Twenty nine percent of the monitored police stations were operating out of buildings in dilapidated condition while 13% were not housed in proper buildings says a Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) report released on Friday.

FAFEN observers visited 176 police stations and noted the unhygienic condition of lockups in at least 27% police stations. 

Even though the Sindh and Punjab governments have adopted the Access to Information Policy since 2006 and 2007, respectively, several non-compliance issues were observed. Three fifths of the 129 police stations in these regions did not have Information Access Officers and a similar number were not maintaining separate registers for recording Access to Information requests.  Furthermore, Station House Officers (SHOs) in 27% police stations were not even aware of the policy.

Copies of court challans were not accessible to the public at 55% police stations monitored in Punjab and Sindh. Similarly, copies of FIRs were not accessible in 19% police stations in these regions.

The situation was much better with regard to basic facilities. Most of the observed police stations had amenities such as electricity (99%) and fans (95%). Telephone/wireless connections were also available in 90% stations. In 99% police stations, the police had official vehicles at their disposal and 96% were also getting fuel allowance. However, clean drinking water was not available in 24% police stations and for logistics support 18% police stations did not have the required stationery.

FAFEN observers reported that the police at 22% police stations was turning away people at the gate. The general behavior of the police was otherwise satisfactory as the officers in 91% police stations were polite to citizens and in 94% they were facilitating people in registration of FIRs. 

FAFEN observers recorded 99 visits to 48% police stations by government officials and elected representatives during the observation period. Most visits were by District Police Officers (65).