Arbitrary interprovincial travel checks: Top police officials grilled by Senate body

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Tuesday took police to task over complaints of harassment and arbitrary checks of interprovincial travellers, questioning whether security protocols at checkpoints were being enforced as a safeguard or turning into an ordeal for ordinary citizens.

The Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, chaired by Senator Dilawar Khan, confronted top police officials over complaints of travellers being stopped and questioned over CNICs, domiciles and nationality, particularly at checkpoints in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Police defended the checks, citing continuing threat alerts and efforts to curb smuggling and drug trafficking. But committee members made it clear that security concerns could not become a licence for indiscriminate stopping, searching or intimidating citizens.

The RPO Rawalpindi told the committee that 31 cross-border check posts were operating in the province and that only three incidents had been reported since January. He nevertheless argued that daily threat alerts made continued vigilance necessary.

Members acknowledged the security challenges but questioned the manner in which frontline personnel were dealing with travellers, stressing that citizens should not be subjected to unnecessary humiliation in the name of security.

Senator AimalWali Khan also raised concerns over searches in tribal areas, particularly the treatment of women and the need for police to respect privacy, local customs and requirements relating to purdah and burqa.

Sindh Police rejected allegations of discriminatory checking, insisting that uniform security protocols were being followed. Officials also said general goods transport should not be stopped without justification.

The committee was told that some disputes involving travellers arose because their CNICs had been classified as doubtful by National Database and registration Authority (Nadra). Officials said district-level committees headed by deputy commissioners were working to resolve such cases.

The meeting also exposed another problem: the disruption of inter-provincial food supplies. Members discussed the movement of wheat between provinces and delays caused by road blockades and the placement of containers on roads.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Department officials briefed the committee on grain stocks and procurement, while members demanded detailed written information to determine whether administrative hurdles were putting uninterrupted supplies at risk.

The chairman said the transportation of flour had improved after the committee summoned the DIG Rawalpindi and DPO Attock at its previous meeting.

The panel also took exception to the repeated absence of senior provincial officials, including the minister or adviser concerned to the prime minister.

The chairman warned that continued non-appearance could trigger privilege motions against officials accused of showing disregard for the parliamentary committee.

Members further criticised divisive statements made during provincial assembly proceedings, warning that inflammatory political rhetoric could deepen inter-provincial tensions rather than help resolve them.

The committee chairman said the panel’s priority was straightforward: equal treatment of citizens, fewer unnecessary obstacles to movement and stronger coordination between provinces.

The message from the committee was equally clear: security checks may be necessary, but they cannot come at the cost of citizens’ dignity, lawful movement and equal treatment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026