Mughal Empire Under the
Mughal Empire, policing was organized on the basis of land tenure.
Zamindars were responsible for apprehending disturbers of the public peace and performing other policing duties. At the village level, these functions were performed by the village headman. In large towns, functionaries known as
kotwals combined law enforcement, municipal administration and revenue collection. Watchmen were on patrol and violent, organized crime was usually handled by the military.
Sikh Empire The old mohalladari[definition needed] system was reintroduced with each mahallah, or neighborhood subdivision, placed under the charge of one of its members. The office of Kotwal, or prefect of police, was conferred upon a Muslim, Imam Bakhsh.[78]
British Raj The modern system of policing was introduced during
British rule. The British administration relieved the zamindars of responsibility for police service, and introduced magistrates with
daroghas and other subordinate officers. The Punjab Police was organized in two branches: the Military Preventive Police and the Civil Detective Police. This arrangement proved unsatisfactory, however, and the government of British India urged the government of Punjab to investigate the province's system of policing in 1860. Due to the importance of the issue, the central government appointed a commission to investigate policing in
British India. The Calcutta Police Commission of 1860 recommended abolition of the police's military arm, the appointment of an Inspector General of Police in the province and the supervision of police in a district by a District Superintendent. The commission recommended that only the
district magistrate should conduct law-enforcement functions. Based on the commission's recommendations, the government of India submitted a bill which was enacted as Act V of 1861; the Police Act of 1861 was adopted. The organizational structure of the act still survives. The Punjab Police Rules of 1933 documented the police practices of the time, and introduced measures for improving administration and operational effectiveness. The rules indicate that the Punjab Police was a professional police organization by 1934, had considerable knowledge of the province's crime and criminals, and developed effective procedures and practices for dealing with various kinds of criminal activity. The force's administrative and disciplinary functions were also described. They have been the model for similar rules in other provinces of Pakistan, and are still in force.
After independence The Punjab Police played a significant role in handling the refugee crisis of 1947–48. It continued as a separate organization until 1955, when it was merged with the police of other provinces to create the West Pakistan Police. The West Pakistan Deputy Inspector General was Inayat Ali Shah. The East and West Pakistan DIGs reported to an IG who, during the 1950s, was Qurban Ali Khan. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to review and reform police organization and performance during the 1950s and 1960s. The Pakistan police's legal framework underwent a major change as a consequence of the Devolution of Power Plan, which was implemented between 2001 and 2006. The plan devolved much provincial-governmental authority and functions to the
districts, and introduced public accountability of the police. A system of district governments was introduced with the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001. As a part of the plan, the Police Order replaced the Police Act 1861 in 2002 and brought sweeping changes to the police. The new law introduced public accountability in the form of Public Safety Commissions at the district, provincial and national level. The Police Order 2002 also provided for an independent Police Complaints Authority, increased autonomy of the Inspector General of Police and separated investigation from other police functions. The Punjab Police are engaged in
counterterrorism operations in the province. == Organization ==