Punjab police to don old uniform from July 1

A large number of police officers raised reservations against new uniforms

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to return the old police uniform from July 1, 2019.

This was announced by the Punjab Chief Minister’s Spokesperson Dr Shahbaz Gill. He, in a tweet, wrote “Punjab police old uniform will be restored from July 1. Hope you will like it :)”.

Inspector General of Police Amjad Javed Saleemi said the stock of new olive green uniform will end in July. Afterwards, it will be replaced by the old black uniform.

The new uniform was replaced by the Punjab government during Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regime. Mushtaq Sukhera was the then IGP. The IGP then had taken into confidence the majority of top brass, RPOs, DPO, additional IGs, DIG, into confidence. He had said that over 70% had voted in the favour of new uniform during the secret poll.

Environment-friendly, aesthetics, easy to wear and cleanliness were the factors that were kept in mind while adopting the new uniform, former IGP Sukhera had said.

When the new uniform was introduced, contradictory opinions had surfaced. A large number of PSP, as well as lower cadre police officers, had raised reservations such as loss of deterrence about the new uniform.

The level of resentment could be gauged from the fact that Additional IG Punjab Usman Khattak took the oath as the interim IGP in the old black uniform, while the whole force was wearing the new olive green uniform during the oath-taking ceremony.

Sensing the contradictions in opinions over the matter, IGP Arif Nawaz had formed a committee headed by AIG Welfare to take the opinion. The committee was supposed to survey the whole force across the ranks and files.

With the change in government, the command of Punjab Police was also replaced and the matter of committee as well.

On Wednesday night, spokesperson for the Punjab government announced returning to the old black uniform.