Proposed KP Police Act 2026 aimed at bringing police under political control

The proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2026 seeks to overhaul the province’s police command and oversight structure, with several key powers placed under the provincial government and Chief Minister, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Wednesday.

The proposed legislation comes nearly a decade after the PTI-led government introduced police reforms in 2017, with the stated objective of reducing political interference and strengthening police autonomy.

Under the proposed 2026 framework, the Chief Minister would chair the Police Policy Board, while police policies, priorities and annual plans would be subject to the provincial government’s direction.

The Chief Minister would also select the Inspector General of Police (IGP) from a panel provided by the federal government. The proposed law would allow the panel to be rejected if the candidates were deemed unsuitable, while the IGP could also be sent back in case of unsatisfactory performance.

The proposed legislation would further require the CM’s approval for the appointment, transfer, and removal of District Police Officers (DPOs) and Regional Police Officers (RPOs), placing key field-command decisions under political authority.

Similarly, postings and transfers of police officers in Grade 18 and above would also require the CM’s approval.

The bill also proposes a 25 per cent quota for direct recruitment at the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) level. Officers recruited through this route could eventually rise to senior command positions, including Superintendent of Police (SP) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).

However, the proposed changes extend beyond police command to oversight mechanisms. The provincial government would nominate seven independent members of the Public Safety Commission and appoint the chairman and members of the Regional Police Complaints Authority.

The proposed framework would also alter the existing Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) system, including a proposed role for lawmakers in local dispute resolution.

The DRC system, established in 2015, has reportedly resolved around 85,000 cases and disputes. Critics of the proposed changes argue that greater political involvement could affect the independence of the mechanism.

The bill would also transfer authority to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for rallies and processions from the Deputy Commissioner to the DPO. The change would place this authority with a police officer whose appointment, transfer and removal would be subject to the proposed approval mechanism.

The proposed legislation has also raised questions in light of earlier court orders concerning political interference in the police and the involvement of police and government employees in political activities.

The issue carries particular significance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the police remain a frontline force in counterterrorism operations. Supporters and critics of the proposed changes are therefore likely to focus on how the new command structure could affect operational decision-making and police autonomy.

Taken together, the proposed changes would give the provincial government a greater role in police policy, senior appointments, postings, field command and oversight bodies.

The debate over the proposed 2026 law therefore centers on whether the changes strengthen administrative accountability or increase political influence over the police, an issue that was also at the heart of the police reform debate in 2017.

The proposed 2026 law would roll-back key police- autonomy safeguards introduced under the 2017 Police Act.