The Peshawar High Court has struck down key amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2017, ruling that changes introduced by the provincial government in 2024 were unconstitutional and unlawful, and reaffirming the operational autonomy of the police force.
Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, Justice S.M. Atiq Shah, issued a 28-page verdict. The judgment says that making the appointment of police officers in Grade 18 and above subject to the approval of the chief minister is unconstitutional.
It further ruled that withdrawing the legal authority of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to appoint field commanders is also unlawful.
According to the verdict, these amendments undermine the operational autonomy of the police and politicise the force.
Under the constitutional framework, administrative oversight should be limited to policy guidance only. Day-to-day administration, including transfers and postings, must remain with the IGP to maintain an effective command structure.
The court held that exercising control over field commanders by bypassing the Inspector General of Police disrupts the command structure. The responsibility for law enforcement rests with the IGP, who is accountable only under the law.
