Twenty nine percent of the 176 police stations in 94 districts monitored by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) were operating out of buildings in dilapidated conditions while 13 percent were not housed in proper buildings, said a survey report released on Sunday.
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, and several other non-compliances 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 percent police stations were not even aware of the policy.
Copies of court challans were not accessible to the public at
55 percent 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 percent), telephone/wireless connections were also available in 90 percent stations.
In 99 percent police stations, the police had official vehicles at their disposal and 96 percent were also getting fuel allowance. However, clean drinking water was not available in 24 percent police stations and for logistics support 18 percent police stations did not have the required stationery.
FAFEN observers reported that the police at 22 percent police
stations was turning away people at the gate. The general behavior of the police was satisfactory with officers in 91 percent police stations
FAFEN observed recorded 99 visits to 48 percent police stations by government officials and elected representatives during the observation period.
