PESHAWAR – Major changes are taking place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s police structure as the draft Police Act 2026 proposes changes to who controls key appointments, transfers and policymaking. From IG to RPOs and DPOs, the proposed framework could give the provincial government a broader role in managing the province’s police command.
The proposed Police Act 2026 opened the door to a reshuffle of police powers, with sweeping changes proposed to the appointment, transfer and policymaking authority of senior police officers and an expanded role for the provincial government and Chief Minister in police command.
The draft legislation proposes that KP government would issue a notification for the appointment of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), while the federal government would forward names of eligible police officers to the provincial government for consideration.
Under the proposed mechanism, if the provincial government is dissatisfied with the IG’s performance, it could seek additional names from the federal government for consideration. In the IG’s absence, the Additional IG Headquarters would take charge as acting IG.
The proposed law also seeks to redraw the existing mechanism for transfers and postings of senior police officers. According to the draft, the Home Secretary would oversee transfers of DSPs and ASPs, while the Chief Minister would have the authority to transfer SPs, SSPs and Additional IGs. Notifications for the appointment of SPs, SSPs and Additional IGs would be issued by the Administration Department.
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CM would also have a role in the appointment and transfer of Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs). The draft further proposes giving the provincial government authority over all police postings and transfers, marking a significant proposed change in the administrative structure of the force.
Another major change concerns the Police Policy Board. The draft proposes shifting the board’s chairmanship from the provincial police chief to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Under the existing law, the provincial police officer heads the Police Policy Board. The proposed legislation would also place the formulation of operational, administrative and financial police policies under the Chief Minister, while administrative policies would remain subject to orders of the provincial government.
The draft also proposes a new procedure for police responses in legal matters. Instead of allowing the police to directly submit replies in legal cases, responses would have to be approved by the Law Department and the Advocate General’s Office before being submitted.
Changes have also been proposed in the financial structure of the police department. Sources say the draft includes proposals to shift certain financial powers currently exercised by the police department to the provincial government or Home Department.
The proposed changes have already triggered reservations among some senior police officers. According to reports, police officials fear that transferring key administrative, operational and financial powers to the provincial government could affect the professional autonomy of the police force. KP Inspector General has also reportedly conveyed concerns over the proposed amendments to the relevant authorities.
Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam has defended the proposed changes, saying the government wants to strengthen checks and balances within the police system. He said police powers were not being reduced, arguing that the proposed reforms were aimed at making the system more effective and improving its functioning.
According to the law minister, policing is a provincial matter, and the provincial government is taking measures to improve the police system.
The provincial government has also referred to previous judgments of the Peshawar High Court while explaining the proposed amendments. According to the government’s position, the court had previously struck down certain amendments concerning the posting and transfer of RPOs and DPOs and restored the relevant powers to the IG.
KP government has now prepared an initial draft of amendments to the Police Act, covering the police administrative structure, appointments and transfers of senior officers, the Police Policy Board, operational and financial policymaking, legal responses and other administrative matters. If enacted in its proposed form, the legislation would represent a significant restructuring of the chain of command and policymaking framework of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.
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