'Tiger Force lacks legal cover to enforce SOPs'.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- The Tiger Force cannot enforce any direction of the government since it has only vigilance role to combat Covid-9, a legal expert said.

An initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the force has over a million registered volunteers across the country.

The services of these volunteers have been placed under the administrative control of respective districts.

The district administration assigns tasks to the volunteers through the prime minister's portal.

However, it was presumed that the Tiger Force would be utilised for implementation of the Covid-9 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) since the prime minister has on a number of occasions said it would help the authorities in identifying places where SOPs were not being followed. Besides, the force would also monitor utility stores and help the administration in identifying hoarders.

Over a million volunteers have been given under district administration across Pakistan

But legal experts said since the force had been established without lawful backing, it would be very difficult for the volunteers to implement the SOPs.

This is more like a private force formed by a political party. The government could have given legitimacy and legal backing to the force by promulgating an ordinance, said former president Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) Raja Inam Ameen Minhas.

He said rival political parties, for example Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP), would not allow members of force to penetrate into their strongholds for implementation of SOPs and there is an apprehension regarding politically motivated clashes if such a force is...

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