A much needed initiative: UNODC with the Government of Balochistan move towards reforming coordination between Investigation Officers and Prosecutors of Balochistan

5 September 2022, Quetta - UNODC in collaboration with the Government of Balochistan conducted a seminar on ‘Improving the Coordination and Cooperation between Investigation Officers and Prosecutors of Balochistan’. The seminar was held at Serena Hotel, Quetta on 5 September 2022 with the aim to assess the capacity of government institutions on policy, administrative and operational levels with reference to police prosecutors cooperation through a consultative process.

Overall 90 participants including 4 women attended the seminar for this critical strategic dialogue among the leadership and operational staff of both the institutions. The presentations generated a discussion around the capacities prevailing in government institutions, particularly in police and prosecution to improve coordination and cooperation before, during, and after the investigation in criminal cases.

In his keynote speech Mr. Abdul Khaliq Shaikh, Inspector General of Police Balochistan thanked the UNODC for this initiative and said, "Without a strong coordination mechanism between Police and Prosecution, victims cannot be provided justice. Considering this humble beginning today, I’m hopeful for a robust criminal justice system in Balochistan.”

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Cooperation was signed between Inspector General of Police Balochistan and Prosecutor General Balochistan to improve cooperation between the two institutions. The MoU was initially developed by UNODC in collaboration with Balochistan Police and Prosecution Departments.

The seminar was held against the backdrop of an assessment carried out by UNODC and the Government of Balochistan. The assessment recommendations of the criminal justice institutions were later endorsed by the Government of Balochistan and the concerned departments. A considerable amount of effort was placed to assess the effectiveness and challenges of the prosecution services. As a result, further deliberation for reform was suggested through a series of strategic dialogue among the leadership and operational staff, particularly in the context of cooperation between police and prosecution.

The Chief Guests included Mr. Justice Aijaz Swati of Balochistan High Court, Mr. Abdul Khaliq Shaikh, Inspector General of Police Balochistan, Mr. Qadir Qayum, Additional Inspector General of Police Balochistan, Mr. Sajid Khan Tareen, Prosecutor General Balochistan, Registrar of Balochistan High Court and DIG Headquarters. Police investigators and prosecutors from across Balochistan attended the seminar.

The seminar is a result of deliberations and consultations between Police and Prosecution of Balochistan with technical support being provided by UNODC. This intervention is funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL).