‘We managed protests without resorting to force’

An interview with Islamabad Police chief Dr Akbar Nasir Khan

Lahore: The top cop of the federal capital, Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, has been in the news for one reason or another since the change of government in April. 

A career officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), Dr Khan joined the force in 1999 and has since served in various positions in different parts of the country. He has also served as Director General (DG) of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), and was part of a United Nations (UN) mission in Sudan in 2006.

A Chevening fellow, he is a recipient of the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal as well as Tamgha-e-Shujaat (badge of bravery).

In addition to all this, he is a writer and musician, and produced a movie in 2019 to tell the story of sacrifices ordinary Pakistanis have to make for their socio-economic survival

Bol News spoke to him in detail about his career and observations, some excerpts from which are recorded below.

Q. What was going through your mind when you were posted as IGP Islamabad?

ANK: I think there weren’t many officers willing to take that position. They were skeptical about the ability of the Islamabad Capital Police (ICP) to overcome the political quagmire. In fact, many were certain about our failure.

To me, it was an honor to lead the ICT as its IGP even in the toughest of times. My idea was to follow the law, ensure security of the capital city, and to protect foreign dignitaries as well citizens of Islamabad. Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) is not just a 30-square kilometer land area; it symbolizes the state of Pakistan.

Q. How challenging it is to lead the Islamabad Police?

ANK: Islamabad is a unique in the sense that it is home to a variety of national and international stakeholders. I assumed the charge as IG Islamabad just 72 hours before the May 25 long march was announced. It was an uncertain situation. There was no security plan in place, and I had to work with an unknown team because the key team members of the previous set up had left. There was political turmoil, and some notorious crime gangs were also active. It was a challenge to lead a disgruntled and under-resourced police force.

Q. So how did you deal with the protesters?

ANK: First step was to assess the situation. There was shortage of human resources on the ground. Minister of Interior, Rana Sanaullah Khan, came to my rescue and provided me with hands from the Frontier Constabulary (FC). Some of them had the experience of handling protests in Islamabad. We designed a new strategy to deal with protesters. We kept the force unarmed and placed our manpower on hot spots. Our policy was to keep our response strictly proportional to attacks by the protesters.

Q. Many allegations of torture and teargassing were voiced by the PTI during its protest march of 25 May. What do you say to that?

ANK: Those allegations are without evidence. Police was unarmed and no incident of torture was reported. Only non-lethal teargas and smoke guns were fired to disperse the protesters to protect public lives and properties.

Q. When you were heading Islamabad Police, ACE Punjab initiated inquiries against you. Why?

ANK: Threats were waved at me in public just for doing my job. These were tactics to discourage me and my force from safeguarding the capital. Old pieces of paper from already closed inquiries were pulled out by Punjab government just to defame me.

Q. How is it different to lead provincial police from that of the federal capital?

ANK: Geographical scope of provincial policing is a bit larger. But in Islamabad it is much more complex. Islamabad gives you a very short response time as issues often escalate rapidly. Any event in Islamabad is an international event and has a much wider audience. You have to be always on your toes. Domestically, too, Islamabad is under scrutiny by all fora of accountability.

Q. How to improve Islamabad police?

ANK: Tactics, training, technology, equipment and morale are the basic needs to deal with any law & order situation. We have equipped the force with latest technology, like cameras, bodycams, drones, pepper balls and teargas shells. And more than 3,000 men and women have been trained to maintain law & order.

Q. How are you handling crime in the capital?

ANK: Trouble-free registration of First Information Reports (FIRs), trained police units, effective patrolling and intelligence gathering, on-merit investigation and timely prosecution are the best ways to prevent crime.

Moreover, using modern gadgets like CCTV, I think, is a sine qua non for policing nowadays. All major cities should have these systems. When I started the Safe City Project in Lahore, I had problems envisaging and putting on ground mass surveillance systems, digitization and automation of policing. But it was done, and now all police forces in Pakistan are adopting those systems.

Q. With such a demanding job, how do you manage to write films and compose music?

ANK: I worked for the movie (Daal Chawal, 2019) on an honorary basis and free of charge. Creativity inspires me. I did many things in one lifetime and I am happy that I was able to do what no one has done in my family, or even in my circle of friends.

Q. What was the theme of the movie?

ANK: Daal Chaawal (lentils and rice) was based on how ordinary daily wagers and street vendors work hard to earn an honourable living. The interesting part was that some real-life police officers also acted in it. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sang a song in the movie for martyrs of the police service without charging any fees.

More than 80,000 people have lost their lives due to violence in our country since 2001, but the world doesn’t know what we’ve been through. Every second or third home in Khyber Pukhunkhwa and Balochistan has a martyr. These stories need to be told.