Vacant slots: Police stations remain under-staffed

National Assembly told 482 sanctioned posts vacant at 10 police stations

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Monday that 482 sanctioned posts were lying vacant in 10 police stations of Islamabad.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan submitted the reply to a question by PTI lawmaker Munaza Hassan. The minister said that only 831 police officials were currently working against the total sanctioned posts of 1,313 in the 10 police stations in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

The police stations in question are Aabpara, Women Police Station, Secretariat, Kohsar, Bhara Kahu, Sihala, Margalla, Golra, Tarnol and I-9 (Industrial Area).

According to the documents, 18 posts of sub-inspector, seven of assistant sub-inspector, 55 head constables, 368 constables and 34 lady constables are vacant.

Margalla Police Station has the highest number of vacant posts, 96. It is followed by Aabpara Police Station at 85.

Around 34 lady constables are required for Women Police Station Sector G-7 along with five head constables, assistant sub-inspectors and sub-inspectors each. Kohsar Police Station has 81 vacant posts.

The interior minister said the posts would be filled soon.

Search operations in ICT

Another reply by the interior minister said that a total of 534 search operations were conducted in ICT during the two years of 2014 and 15.

A total of 3,487 suspects were arrested during these search operations.

Of them, around 615 were arrested in criminal cases and 2,872 were held in preventive action.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2016.