Rescue 1122 crumbling under administrative issues

An officer is found guilty of spreading disinformation about female colleagues


Muhammad Shahzad August 30, 2018
PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: Once a symbol of public service, excellence and agility in the eyes of public, Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) is now suffering from extreme administrative issues and departmental politics, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The officers of Rescue 1122 have been found responsible for slinging mud at each other for settling personal scores and lobbying against each other during intra-departmental and inter-departmental inquiries.

NAB to investigate Rescue 1122

In the most recent development, an officer of Rescue 1122 has been found guilty of spreading disinformation about female colleagues and sending frivolous, concocted and deceiving emails that damaged the image of the service. Furthermore, the weak administrative control and misuse of his office by the irrelevant staff of the officer has also been disclosed.

Taking notice of the incident, Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer has issued him a warning to Head of Safety Wing Muhammad Ahsan.

The warning letter addressing the officer, a copy available with The Express Tribune, accused, “almost all the negative things were originating from your office”.

Naseer in the letter held him responsible for spreading disinformation via Whatsapp messages against Social Welfare Officer Sumaira Liaquat. Disclosing background of the misconduct, an officer of the emergency service said Ahsan had shared a few messages about his fellow colleague which she found quite annoying when came to her knowledge. Based on these SMSs, a female Rescue 1122 officer, had filed an application of harassment of her and other female rescuers, he added.

Naseer further held him responsible for sending frivolous, concocted and deceiving email from his email account. The officer shared with The Express Tribune that when the officer was asked to explain the reason behind the use of his email account to send the above malicious emails, the officer had no plausible explanation except to say that his email was open and anyone can use it.

The DG found his explanation highly unacceptable during the meeting. In the warning letter to Ahsan, DG conveyed to him that the maintenance of Safety Wing as compared to all other wings was also found to be the most neglected.

Sharing background of these emails, another officer told The Express Tribune that the instructors of the academy had written a complaint to the higher authorities of Rescue 1122 that a few elements in the department had been cruising a course initiated by the department and were filing complaints against the course and the instructors by different people. In the complaint letter, the instructors pointed towards an officer for emailing a complaint to a rescuer named Saima who forwarded it to different departments in a bid to malign the instructors.

Rescue 1122 expands service to AJK districts

Taking notice of the letter, adjutant of the academy Dr Ali Imam Syed, in June 2018, had also called upon Rescue 1122 DG to constitute an inquiry committee to probe out the elements involved in defamation of the department.

Earlier, an investigation conducted by Anti-Gender Based Violence Cell Cantonment Division of an FIR of rape of a female rescuer by an emergency officer, had also pointed out towards a ‘lobby’ working in Rescue 1122 for provoking the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2018.

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