Action directed against policemen with patchy service records

Impression of grouping in police force should be dispelled, SC says

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) ordered on Thursday the formulation of a mechanism to ensure even-handed action is initiated against policemen with patchy service records.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, directed the committee appointed by the apex court to ensure that action against cops with patchy service records is initiated across the board.

"There is strong grouping in the police force. Such impression must be dispelled," remarked the bench members after going through an interim report submitted by Establishment AIG Sanaullah Abbasi, who is also the head of the committee appointed by the apex court to conduct scrutiny of the police personnel who, despite having patchy service records, were still enjoying field postings.



In his interim report, AIG Abbasi informed the bench that the committee had scrutinised the service records of 109,320 personnel so far. The report stated that 12,361 personnel were scrutinised over suspicion of having patchy records. Out of them, 602 police officials were recommended punishment for misconduct and involvement in criminal activities.

However, 932 personnel, who were suspected to have a patchy service records, were cleared in the scrutiny, the report said.

AIG Abbasi told the SC that decisions of the committee were conveyed to the Karachi AIG in order to award punishment to the responsible officials after fulfillment of the codal formalities.



Giving a summary of the actions taken by the Karachi AIG, the report said eight officials have been dismissed from service, 84 were forcibly retired while one official opted for voluntarily retirement.

The judges, however, observed that none of the senior police officers, who were facing allegations of being involved in criminal activities, had been proceeded against and they were still enjoying field postings.

A bench member, Justice Maqbool Baqar, remarked that the impression of grouping in the police force should be dispelled through across the board action against anyone who is found involved in any illegal activity. The bench also directed the Sindh Advocate-General Barrister Zamir Ghumro and police high-ups to devise a mechanism so that an indiscriminate action could be initiated against rogue elements in the police.

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The committee's head informed the court that at present one member of the committee, Naeem Ahmed Shaikh, had been deputed on a senior management course at the National Institute of Management. Upon completion of his course by July 21, the committee will restart its work in compliance of the court's orders, he assured the bench.