| Agencyname: | Department of Sindh Police |
| Nativename: | Sindhi: سنڌ پوليس |
| Abbreviation: | SP |
| Motto: | Proud to Serve |
| Formedyear: | 1843[1] |
| Employees: | 160,000 |
| Budget: | Classified |
| Country: | Pakistan |
| Divtype: | Province |
| Divname: | Sindh |
| Map: | Sindh in Pakistan (claims hatched).svg |
| Sizearea: | 140,914 sq. km. |
| Sizepopulation: | 60,000,000 |
| Legaljuris: | Sindh |
| Governingbody: | Government of Sindh |
| Police: | Yes |
| Headquarters: | Karachi |
| Chief1name: | Ghulam Nabi Memon, PSP (BPS-21 PSP) |
| Chief1position: | Inspector-General |
| Parentagency: | Police Service of Pakistan |
| Website: | http://www.sindhpolice.gov.pk/ |
The Sindh Police (Urdu:, Sindhi: '''سنڌ پوليس'''), is a law enforcement agency established in 1843 under a proclamation issued by Sir Charles James Napier, who became the conqueror of the State of Sindh by defeating the forces of the Talpur rulers at the Battle of Miani near Hyderabad on 20 March 1843. Ever since its inception, the organization was raised on the model of the Royal Irish Constabulary to maintain law and order and law enforcement in Sindh, Pakistan. The department serves an area of ~140,914km2 and has about 280,000 police officers and staff. As of 24 March 2024, Ghulam Nabi Memon is the Inspector-General of Police.[2]
The Sindh Police has been fictionalized as well as dramatized in numerous movies, novels, dramas, and television shows through its history.[3]
After becoming the Governor of Sindh, General Sir Charles James Napier established a policy system based on the pattern of the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1843. British Indian Army Officers closely supervised and controlled the force which was consequently more disciplined, efficient and less corrupt. Influenced by the success of Napier's police, the Court of Directors of the East Bangladesh Company suggested that a common system of police be established on the pattern of the Irish Constabulary.
The British Indian Government set up a Police Commission headed by Mr. H.M. Court in 1860. One of the policy directives to the Police Commission of 1860 was that "though the duties of the police should be entirely civil, not military, the organization and discipline of the police should be similar to those of a military body". The present police system in Pakistan has been established under this Charter. At the time of the British Indian Police there was a famous Superintendent of Police from Pirdad (Hazro) in Punjab named Muhammad Umar Khan, who was much decorated.[4] In October 2010 the government announced that Sindh Police had been given the approval to use and had received equipment to utilise phone-tracking technology to help them tackle kidnapping cases and corruption on the streets of Karachi.[5]
Designations of Sindh Police are as follows:[6]
| Grade | Police Ranks | Abbreviations | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BPS-07 | Constable | PC | |
| BPS-09 | Head Constable | HC | |
| BPS-11 | Assistant Sub-Inspector | ASI | |
| BPS-14 | Sub-Inspector | SI | |
| BPS-16 | Police Inspector | Inspector | |
| BPS-17 |
|
| |
| BPS-18 | Superintendent of Police | SP | |
| BPS-19 | Senior Superintendent of Police/Assistant Inspector General | SSP/AIG | |
| BPS-20 | Deputy Inspector General | DIG | |
| BPS-21 | Additional Inspector General | Addl. IG | |
| BPS-22 | Inspector General of Police | IGP |
SHO, SDPO, DPO, CPO, RPO and PPO are posts, not ranks. So you may see a lower rank acting as a higher post for some time.[6]
The Special Security Unit (SSU) is one of the specialized counterterrorism and security units of the Sindh Police. It performs the function of counterterrorism operations and provide security to important personalities and institutions. It is a Karachi based unit of the Sindh Police, Pakistan and its operational jurisdiction extends to entire area of Sindh. The SSU was established due to the increased security and counterterrorism challenges in the country. It meets the international standards of counterterrorism training and has been directed to deal with the terrorist intimidations. The unit reports to IG Sindh and DIGP Security Mr. Lt (r) Maqsood Ahmed is the founding head of the unit.[7]
Central Police Office (CPO), Karachi serves as headquarter of Sindh Police where Inspector General of Police, Sindh sits. All main administrative branches of Sindh police such as Investigation, Finance and Establishment branch are also headquartered at CPO Karachi. When it comes to operational jurisdiction, Sindh Police is divided into three ranges. Each range is headed by Additional Inspector General of Police (Addl.IGP). Each range in return is consisted of one to three regions/divisions that are headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police(DIG). These divisions are consisted of 3 to 7 districts that are led by an officer with a rank of Senior Superintendent of Police. Currently Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Karachi East, West and South are the ranges of Sindh Police that are being led by DIGP rank police officials.
| Executive office | Incumbent | Designation Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Police Office | Ghulam Nabi Memon, PSP | IGP | |
| Establishment and headquarters | Khadim Hussain Rind, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Internal Accountability Bureau, Karachi | Muzzafar Ali Shaikh, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Finance, Logistics and Welfare, Karachi | Muzzafar Ali Shaikh, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Investigation Branch, Karachi | Muzzafar Ali Shaikh, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Operations Branch, Karachi | Abdul Qadir Qayyum, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Counter Terrorism Department, Karachi | Tariq Abbas Qureshi, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Special Branch, Karachi | Abdul Qadir Qayyum, PSP | Addl.IGP | |
| Research & Development Branch, Karachi | N/A | Addl.IGP | |
| Special Security Unit, Karachi | Maqsood Ahmed, PSP | DIGP | |
| Driver's License Branch, Karachi | Tanveer Alam Odho, PSP | DIGP | |
| Karachi Unit | Incumbent | Designation/Rank | |
| Capital City Police Office | Imran Yaqoob Minhas, PSP | CCPO/Addl.IGP | |
| Regional Police Office, Karachi East | Capt (R) Azfar Mahesar, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office East | Dr. Farrukh Raza, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Korangi | Sardar Hussain, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office, Malir | Tariq Ilahi Mastoi, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Regional Police Office, Karachi West | Asim Khan, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office, West | Manzoor Ali, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office, Central | Faisal Abdullah Chachar, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Regional Police Office, Karachi South | Syed Azad Raza, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office, Keamari | Arif Aslam, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office, South Karachi, Clifton | Imran Qureshi, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office, Karachi City | Amjad Hayat, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Hyderabad Unit | Incumbent | Designation/Rank | |
| Additional. IGP Hyderabad Unit | Tariq Dharejo, PSP (charge) | Addl.IGP | |
| Regional Police Office, Hyderabad | Tariq Dharejo, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office Hyderabad | Amjad Ali Sheikh, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Tando Allahyar | Abraiz Ali Abbasi, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Tando Muhammad Khan | Saleem Shah, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Matiari | Noor ul Haq Rind, SPS | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Dadu | Shabir Ahmed Sethar, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Jamshoro | Tariq Nawaz, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Thatta | Ali Bux Nizamani, SPS | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Sujawal | Shahla Qureshi, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Badin | Qamar Raza Jiskani, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Regional Police Office, Mirpur Khas | Tanveer Alam Odho, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office Mirpur Khas | Adil Memon, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Tharparker | Ali Mardan Khoso, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Umerkot | Abdul Khalique, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Regional Police Office, Nawabshah | Capt (R) Pervaiz Chandio, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office Nawabshah | Capt (R) Haider Raza, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Sanghar | Capt (R) Saddam Hussain, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Naushero Feroz | Abid Ali Baloch, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Sukkur Unit | Incumbent | Designation/Rank | |
| Additional. IGP Sukkur Unit | Abdul Hameed Khoso (Charge) | Addl.IGP | |
| Regional Police Office, Sukkur | Abdul Hameed Khoso, PSP | RPO/DIG | |
| District Police Office Sukkur | Irfan Samo, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Ghotki | Munir Ahmed Khuhro, SPS | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Khairpur | Samiullah Soomro, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| Regional Police Office, Larkana | Javed Soonharo Jiskani, PSP | RPO/DIGP | |
| District Police Office Larkana | Syed Abdul Raheem Sheerazi, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Shikarpur | Khalid Mustafa Korai, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Jacobabad | Syed Amir Abbas Shah, PSP | DPO/SSP | |
| District Police Office Kashmore | Mir Rohal Khan, PSP | DPO/SSP |
| Portrait | width=10% | Name | width=10% | Took office | width=10% | Left office | width=10% | Tenure | width=10% | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khowaja Masroor Hassanخواجہ مسرور حسن | 1 July 1970 | 29 December 1971 | First Provincial Police Officer (PPO) of Sindh Police[8] | ||||||
| 2 | Muhammad Usoof Orakzaiمحمد یوسف اورکزئی | 29 December 1971 | 21 February 1973 | - | ||||||
| 3 | Chaudhary Fazal-e-Haqچوہدری فضل الحق | 21 February 1973 | 27 May 1975 | - | ||||||
| 4 | Mian Muhammad Aslam Hayatمیاں محمد اسلم حیات | 27 May 1975 | 16 March 1977 | - | ||||||
| 5 | Habib-ur-Rehman Khanحبیب الرحمان خان | 16 March 1977 | 30 September 1977 | - | ||||||
| 6 | Arbab Hidayatullahارباب ہدایت اللہ | 30 September 1977 | 22 August 1982 | Longest serving PPO | ||||||
| 7 | Dilshad Najmuddinدلشاد نجم الدین | 1 September 1982 | 30 October 1983 | - | ||||||
| 8 | Bashir Ahmed Khanبشیر احمد خان | 1 November 1983 | 12 August 1984 | - | ||||||
| 9 | Syed Saadat Ali Shahسید سعادت علی شاہ | 12 August 1984 | 19 June 1986 | - | ||||||
| 10 | Syed Salman Khaliqسید سلمان خالق | 19 June 1986 | 26 July 1987 | - | ||||||
| 11 | Muhammad Nawaz Malikمحمد نواز ملک | 27 July 1987 | 28 July 1988 | - | ||||||
| 12 | Muhammad Abbas Khanمحمد عباس خان | 28 July 1988 | 25 January 1989 | - | ||||||
| 13 | Khawar Zamanخاور زمان | 25 January 1989 | 20 February 1990 | - | ||||||
| 14 | Syed Saadat Ali Shahسید سعادت علی شاہ | 20 February 1990 | 20 August 1990 | - | ||||||
| 15 | Khawar Zamanخاور زمان | 20 August 1990 | 1 December 1990 | - | ||||||
| 16 | Mohsin Manzoorمحسن منظور | 1 December 1990 | 18 December 1990 | - | ||||||
| 17 | Ghulam Moinuddinغلام معین الدین | 18 December 1990 | 10 February 1992 | - | ||||||
| 18 | Kamar Alamقمر عالم | 15 March 1992 | 25 July 1993 | - | ||||||
| 19 | Mohsin Manzoorمحسن منظور | 25 July 1993 | 25 November 1993 | - | ||||||
| 20 | Afzal Ali Shigriافضل علی شگری | 25 November 1993 | 15 August 1995 | - | ||||||
| 21 | Muhammad Saeed Khanمحمد سعید خان | 15 August 1995 | 28 December 1996 | Recipient of Hilal-e-Shujaat and Sitara-e-Basalat | ||||||
| 22 | Syed Mohib Asadسید محب اسد | 28 December 1996 | 22 August 1997 | - | ||||||
| 23 | Asad Jahangir Khanاسد جہانگیر خان | 22 August 1997 | 25 November 1997 | - | ||||||
| 24 | Aftab Nabiآفتاب نبی | 25 November 1997 | 30 December 1998 | Recipient of Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal and President Police Medal | ||||||
| 25 | Maqbool Ahmedمقبول احمد | 30 October 1998 | 12 October 1999 | Recipient of Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal | ||||||
| 26 | Asad Ashraf Malikاسد اشرف ملک | 13 October 1999 | 28 October 1999 | Recipient of President's Police Medal | ||||||
| 27 | Aftab Nabiآفتاب نبی | 28 October 1999 | 17 September 2001 | Recipient of Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal and President Police Medal | ||||||
| 28 | Syed Kamal Shahسید کمال شاہ | 17 September 2001 | 14 August 2002 | Recipient of Sitara-e-Shujaat and Sitara-i-Imtiaz | ||||||
| - | - | The office of Provincial Police Officer (PPO) was renamed to Inspector General Of Police (IGP)[9] | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 29 | Syed Kamal Shahسید کمال شاہ | 14 August 2002 | 9 February 2005 | Recipient of Sitara-e-Shujaat and Sitara-i-Imtiaz | ||||||
| 30 | Asad Jahangir Khanاسد جہانگیر خان | 9 February 2005 | 24 December 2005 | - | ||||||
| 31 | Jahangir Mirzaجہانگیر مرزا | 2 January 2006 | 14 April 2007 | - | ||||||
| 32 | Niaz Ahmed Siddikiنیاز احمد صدیقی | 14 April 2007 | 18 June 2007 | - | ||||||
| 33 | Zia-ul-Hassan Khanضیاء الحسن خان | 18 June 2007 | 9 January 2008 | - | ||||||
| 34 | Azhar Ali Faroqiاظہر علی فاروقی | 9 January 2008 | 12 April 2008 | - | ||||||
| 35 | Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddleمحمد شعیب سڈل | 12 April 2008 | 30 June 2008 | - | ||||||
| 36 | Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattakسلطان صلاح الدین بابر خٹک | 30 June 2008 | 10 February 2011 | - | ||||||
| 37 | Fayyaz Ahmed Leghariفیاض احمد لغاری | 18 February 2011 | 16 June 2011 | - | ||||||
| 38 | Wajid Ali Khanواجد علی خان | 17 June 2011 | 20 October 2011 | - | ||||||
| 39 | Syed Mushtaq Shahسید مشتاق شاہ | 21 October 2011 | 7 July 2012 | - | ||||||
| 40 | Fayyaz Ahmed Leghariفیاض احمد لغاری | 11 July 2012 | 8 March 2013 | - | ||||||
| 41 | Ghulam Shabbir Shaikhغلام شبیر شیخ | 8 March 2013 | 22 March 2013 | Shortest tenure as IGP | ||||||
| 42 | Shahid Nadeem Balochشاہد ندیم بلوچ | 23 March 2013 | 22 February 2014 | - | ||||||
| 43 | Squadron Leader (R) Iqbal Mahmoodاقبال محمود | 23 April 2014 | 3 July 2014 | - | ||||||
| 44 | Ghulam Hyder Jamaliغلام حیدر جمالی | 8 July 2014 | 12 March 2016 | - | ||||||
| 45 | AD Khowajaاے ڈی خواجہ | 12 March 2016 | 13 June 2018 | - | ||||||
| 46 | Amjad Javed Saleemiامجد جاوید سلیمی | 13 June 2018 | 9 September 2018 | - | ||||||
| 47 | Dr. Syed Kaleem Imamسید کلیم امام | 12 September 2018 | 28 February 2020 | - | ||||||
| 48 | Mushtaq Ahmad Maharمشتاق احمد مہر | 28 February 2020 | 18 May 2022 | - | ||||||
| 49 | Dr. Kamran Fazalکامران فضل | 18 May 2022 | 2 June 2022 | - | ||||||
| 50 | Ghulam Nabi Memonغلام نبی میمن | 3 June 2022 | 19 August 2023 | - | ||||||
| 51 | Riffat Mukhtarرفعت مختار | 20 August 2023 | 23 March 2024 | - | ||||||
| 52 | Ghulam Nabi Memonغلام نبی میمن | 24 March 2024 | Incumbent | - |
Extra-Judicial Killings Reported in Media by Sindh Police
The Sindh Police has been actively involved in taking bribe with open hands in daylight. countering human trafficking, drug trade, solving criminal cases (such as murder and abduction).
The Government of Pakistan, in consultation with the Governor of Sindh, appointed Mushtaq Ahmad Mahar as Inspector General of Police, replacing Syed Kaleem Imam at the request of Sindh's provincial government due to his perceived insubordination and failure to control increasing crime rates in Karachi.[10] [11]
The Pakistan Democratic Movement conducted a large political rally in the port city of Karachi near the Mazar-e-Quaid on October 18, 2020. During the rally, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif addressed the leader of the Pakistani Army, saying, "General Qamar Javed Bajwa, you packed up our government, which was working well, and put the nation and the country at the altar of your wishes." This speech was censored when broadcast by Pakistani media on the government's orders. Some news analysts believed that Sharif's open criticism of Bajwa was unlikely to be taken lightly.[12]
That night, officials of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Rangers allegedly abducted Inspector General Mahar and forced him to sign an order to arrest prominent opposition leader Muhammad Safdar Awan, Sharif's son-in-law, for "violating the sanctity of Quaid's mausoleum" during the rally.[13] The sequence of events, according to Al Jazeera, was that federal intelligence agencies grew frustrated because they were unable to immediately arrest Safdar, so they sent nine paramilitary Ranger vehicles to Mahar's house at 4am on October 19 to bring him to a meeting with the sector commander, where they demanded that he authorise Safdar's arrest.[14] Awan was released on bail the same day.[13]
To protest this treatment, Mahar and other senior officials in the Sindh police department applied for leave en masse, though they subsequently relented when Qamar Javed Bajwa, the head of Pakistani armed forces, ordered an inquiry into the incident.[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] The Federal Minister of Information, Shibli Faraz, called this protest by the Sindh police a "quasi-mutiny".[21]
According to former Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hassan Khan, the events were a series of blunders. He said that Safdar's behavior at the mausoleum was inappropriate and could be considered a legal offence, but not a cognizable one, meaning that his arrest should have been preceded by a court warrant. He condemned the abduction and intimidation of Mahar.[22] According to Al Jazeera, while all the reports of Mahar's mistreatment were unlikely to be true, such behavior on the part of federal intelligence officials amounted to coercion. Mazhar Abbas of thenews.com.pk reported that Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan considered the kidnapping and its aftermath to be media-created hype and a non-issue, laughing over the incident.[23] [24] [25]
According to Mazhar Abbas, the issues raised by such intra-institutional conflict and the unprecedented police revolt are unlikely to be resolved quickly. Three inquiries were made, one by the head of the armed forces, another by a committee of the Sindh provincial government,[26] and a third, limited one by the federal government. The Civil Society filed a petition in Pakistan's Supreme Court seeking to restrain the federal government and its armed agencies from illegitimate interference in provincial autonomy.[27]
As per a[28] report by an inquiry conducted on the orders of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Mahar was not kidnapped but "summoned overzealously" since the ISI and Pakistan Rangers were allegedly under great public pressure.[29] As per the recommendations of same inquiry, the ISI and Ranger officials concerned in the incident were removed from any ongoing assignments that might cause misunderstandings with the Sindh Police.[29]
| Service colour | Dark blue and red | |
| Uniform colour | Black, Khaki |
The Sindh Police uses a variety of weaponry. However, these are a few of the most common weapons used.
The most common vehicles used by the Sindh Police are:
Toyota Hilux Single/Double cabin (REVO/Vigo version), Toyota Corolla (2010-2018 version), Mohafiz Internal Security Vehicle, APCs, troop carriers, water cannons.
The Sindh Police is not known to use any aircraft; however, there have been rumours that the police use locally produced UAVs such as the SATUMA Jasoos, for reconnaissance.
The Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) (Urdu: شہری پولیس رابطہ پنچائیت) is a public-private relationship, self-funding, Non-Political Statutory organization, established under a notification by the Sindh government. The CPLC provides relief and technical support to victims of crime. Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim established the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) in 1989, while Jameel Yusuf was its founding chairman. The CPLC works in Karachi and assists citizens in registering the (FIR) if it is refused by police for some reason.
The public takes initiative as a volunteer and report the failing law and order situations to the law enforcement agencies to achieve its objectives.[30] [31]
CPLC is distributed among 6 district offices in Karachi, one district office at Hyderabad, decided to establish a district office in Sukkur, where as its main office is located in the Governor House Sindh.[32] A Police core group was established by the IGP Sindh to cooperate among Police and the citizens.[33]
CPLC had previously Ahmed Chinoy as its chief and new chief Zubair Habib has been appointed as a new chief of CPLC.[34] CPLC has established 1102 as its help-line.[35] Makhdoom Ali Khan was member of the Advisory Board of the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC).