Political Interference in Performance of Police: An Exploratory Study of District Kohat

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the effect of political interference on the performance and autonomy of police personnel within a selected district Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Drawing on qualitative interviews, the study highlights how the political actors influence the police's independence in making decisions, enabling political players to abuse police power for their own political and personal benefit. Police lose their professionalism when they become involved in political matters, which have a negative impact on their capacity to effectively and fairly enforce the law. Moreover, Public confidence in the police is damaged by this political interference, which not only impairs their performance but also skews their judgment. The study also draws attention to the wider ramifications of this occurrence, such as the rising crime and corruption rates in the area. This qualitative study explores the experiences of twelve SHOs in police stations, district Kohat, who are currently serving at police stations by using semi structured interviews with the purposive sampling to better understand the nature of political interference and the lived experiences of respondents within their departments. The findings of the study contribute that political interference is driven by the political and personal gain which effect merit based decision and integrity of police. Officers are exposed to hazards and dangers because to the complexity created by cultural dynamics and public contacts. Disobeying such interference frequently has terrible consequences, highlighting the necessity of reforms to guarantee fair and efficient police.

Keywords: Political Interference, Police Performance, Erosion, Public Trust, Personal, Professional Benefits