Policing powers extended to Levies force in FATA

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The federal government has extended Police Act 1861 to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in an attempt to give policing powers to the Levies force in the region, sources said on Saturday.

Policing powers and judicial structure, along the lines of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been imposed in FATA, after approval by President Mamnoon Hussain, the sources said.

The changes in judicial structure empower the political agent with judicial powers. The changes dictate judicial role for the political agent, subordinate offices as well as nomenclature changes in the office of the Levies forces that substitute the Police Act to be implemented in the villages but with changes in the context of FATA.

The term ‘Inspector General of Police’ under the Police Act 1861 has been replaced with the ‘Commandant of the Federal Levies Force’.

The term ‘court’ as defined under the amended act would now mean the ‘court of assistant political agent Landi Kotal’, and ‘special court under the high court’.

‘Tehsil Landikotal’ includes Torkham, Khyber Agency bounded by the village Bacha Mela, Torkham Gate, Shamshad Hill Top watershed and Ayub FC Picket Kabalo Mela.

The political agent of the appropriate jurisdiction will now hold the powers of a session judge, magistrate, magistrate of first class district magistrate while the APA will be a judicial magistrate.