By Dawood Shah
A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any agency, which enforces the law. This may be a special, local, or state police, federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Also, it can be used to describe an international organization such as Europol or Interpol. This is a list of law enforcement agencies, organized by continent and then by country.
Pakistan is federal republic with a capital territory called Islamabad where federal government and its law enforcement agencies operates and four provinces and three territories where respective provincial government operates.
Law enforcement agencies of Pakistan at the federallevel are Anti-Narcotics Force, Airports Security Force, Federal Investigation Agency, Frontier Constabulary, National Accountability Bureau, National Highways & Motorway Police, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Pakistan Coast Guards, Pakistan Customs, and PakistanRailways Police.
Law enforcement agencies at the provincial and territory level are Azad Jammu and Kashmir Police, Balochistan Levies, Balochistan Police, Capital Territory Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Gilgit-Baltistan Police, Punjab Police, Sindh Police, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh and Punjab), Frontier Corps (Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
The role of law enforcement agencies in the prevention of violence is very important and critical. They are the first line of defense for the citizens of a country and are in direct contact with its citizens and hence are at the forefront of any person involved in committing criminal activities or some one or a group creating or inciting violence. Law enforcement agencies need to be well equipped with proper knowledge and resources to prevent violence in the peaceful way possible. Law enforcement agencies and its personnel provide the citizens the confidence that they will ensure peace and safety. The citizens can enjoy a sense of security in the presence of vigilant and professional law enforcement.
When the Taliban conflict started in the 2000s in Swat, Pakistan, it was the police of Swat who confronted the Taliban in the very beginning. The police of Swat and KPK were the first to sacrifice their lives.
Unfortunately the law enforcement agencies of the developing countries like Pakistan lack proper resources and hence are too weak to be manipulated by politicians and government legislators for their own politicalvendettas. The developed countries should invest in de-politicization of the law enforcement agencies of countries such as Pakistan.
