Social distancing extended to police

A six-foot distance will be observed while standing in a queue

LAHORE: The Lahore police, after implementation of social distancing through coercion for over two weeks has finally decided to adopt the measures in its own ranks and files.

On Tuesday, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Zulfiqar Hameed issued directions for observance of a safe social distance policy to be implemented in the police lines. According to the policy, a six-foot distance was to be observed while standing in queue for issuance of arms.

Interestingly, on the same day, a picture was issued by Lahore police in which the CCPO, along with other officers, was standing alongside the recently promoted DSPs.

Reportedly, the police officers were seen standing in a queue with their shoulders touching, clearly in violation of social distancing norms during the ongoing pandemic. A few days ago, senior police officers had escorted a number of officials to different hospitals for photo shoots after paying doctors homage. Scenes of standing in close proximity were observed at many occasions.



The CCPO, while issuing the policy, said the ammunition was being disinfected for coronavirus prevention.

“Safe distance was also being ensured in canteen and police mess.”

He further said the police force was acting as a frontline force against the spread of coronavirus. “So adopting more security measures was the need of the hour.”

The CCPO pledged that the government’s directives to prevent the contagion would be implemented at all costs. In this regard, he further directed, the senior police officers should constantly monitor the SOPs.

The Lahore police issued notices to different banks for violation of queue management in the wake of COVID-19 social distancing measures. As many as 120 notices by Model Town division, police 93 notices by Cantonment division police, 64 notices by Iqbal Town division police, 36 notices by Civil Lines police and 22 notices by Saddar division police were issued to different banks.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2020.