Frédéric Grare from US think Tank, Carnegie Endowment, writes that reforming civilian security forces will diminish Islamabad’s dependence on the military and increase the legitimacy of democracy. He writes that Pakistan’s police force has been historically constrained by the military and intelligence agencies and often politicized as an instrument of repression against opposition groups.

He recommends to remove military oversight of the police. There should be a guarantee that police receiving U.S. assistance serve only as police. He says that when officers are redirected to military operations or counter terrorism it diverts the time and resources needed to develop into a successful institution.

Frédéric Grare cites an example of the National Highways and Motorways Police, a branch that has not been politicized and has avoided the leadership and funding problems experienced by other agencies. This model should be emulated.

In his opinion, the civilian assistance legislation sponsored by Senators Kerry and Lugar and Congressman Berman provides a promising framework but is limited by competing objectives. Long-term goals of political and democratic reform are at odds with the short-term goal of gaining cooperation from the Pakistani army in the fight against terrorism. Many police officers resent their dependence on an army that tends to monopolize resources and impedes their room to maneuver. The US should help provide the training and resources for them to operate independently.

“Police reform should not be allowed to serve as an alibi for the Pakistani intelligence agencies’ selective fight against terrorism,” writes Grare. “Only under these conditions will the Pakistani police become an effective instrument for fighting terrorism and a contributor to security and stability in Pakistan and beyond.”