Officials injured in altercation with MNA-elect honoured

Lahore CCPO says Bara violated the sanctity of law by torturing policemen

LAHORE: Hanjarwal Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Afzal and Constable Mumtaz Hussain, who were injured in an altercation with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) member Nadeem Bara and his accomplices, were honoured in a ceremony held on Tuesday.

The ceremony was held at the CCPO officer, where Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) BA Nasir gave the officials cash prizes and commendatory certificates for performing their duty diligently. SSP Administration Usman Akram Gondal was also present at the event.

“Bara violated the sanctity of the law by torturing the police; the accused should be severely punished for torturing police officials,” the CCPO emphasised. Those who will harm the Lahore police will not be spared, he stressed.

Nasir also appreciated the actions of Afzal and Hussain, who managed to uphold the law despite being seriously injured.

Meanwhile, a ceremony appreciating the efforts of all the DSPs in Lahore was also held. DIG Operations Shahzad Akbar, SSP Administration Usman Akram Gondal and SSP Discipline Tariq Aziz were also present on the occasion.

“Lahore police has been successful in holding peaceful, neutral and transparent elections. The level of coordination between the police during the elections has proven them to be competent,” said CCPO BA Nasir. It was only due to the officials that untoward situations were avoided at polling stations, he added.

On Monday, the Punjab Police Inspector General Dr Syed Kaleem awarded prizes among police officers during a ceremony held at Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines.  Kaleem awarded cash prizes, certificates and souvenirs to all officers and officials who performed exceptionally well on Election Day.

“Punjab police made history by conducting the elections peacefully, despite security threats. The entire force should be appreciated for their professionalism which was also lauded internationally,” the IG maintained.

Punjab police remained impartial while ensuring that the Election Commission of Pakistan’s code of conduct was adhered to, he said. He advised officers to maintain this level of professionalism in order to win the people’s hearts.

We are responsible for providing safety and security for people’s lives and property. Officers should perform their duties with rigour and enthusiasm, continuing to take action against those who transgress laws, he said.

He stated that they will continue to appreciate honest and dutiful officials in the future.

During the ceremony, Lahore CCPO revealed that 33,000 officers and police personnel were deployed at 3,885 polling stations across Lahore on Election Day. The Lahore police will continue to work with the same spirit and zeal, he concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2018.