Power struggle in Punjab mars Rescue 1122 performance

Employees on front line against pandemic await regularisation, allowance

LAHORE: In times of the coronavirus pandemic, an important department working on the frontline to curb the contagion is making headlines for not a good purpose.

The reports of a power tussle among Rescue 1122 Director General Rizwan Naseer and its administrative department over appointment to key posts like the district emergency officer of Lahore and regional emergency officer of Faisalabad, alleged involvement of academy officials and rescuers in fuel embezzlement in Lahore and Bhakkar and submission of a long list of inquiry reports against Dr Naseer before the Lahore High Court by the home department emerged in recent weeks, during the peak of the pandemic.

On the other hand, an overwhelming majority of rescuers putting their lives on stake in fighting the pandemic are waiting for fulfillment of promises made to them by successive governments, the latest by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in October last year. At the anniversary ceremony of the service, Buzdar had announced regularisation of the service of the rescuers as well as resumption of emergency allowance for them.

Rescuers say they are frustrated because their genuine issues and the key job of the department, improvement of service delivery, are being neglected due to the clash at the top.

A meeting of the Punjab Emergency Council was held after many years but the sole agenda item of appointment of Naseer as DG was presented before it. The long pending issues related to rescuers, especially regularisation and service structure, were put on the back burner. Afterwards, Naseer, who was appointed DG on a contract basis, approached the court for his regularisation.

However, no efforts have been made for approval of service structure and restoration of emergency allowance.

The employees of the rescue service are awaiting steps to strengthen the service as an institution rather than a tug of war between senior officials for power.

Harassment case

A man has been arrested by Dolphin Police in Liaqatabad, who harassed women while driving a motorbike. In two separate cases, he had thrown a chemical on a woman and physically harassed another. This is not the first incident of this nature. Two cases were reported last year in Lahore. Another similar case has been reported from Dera Ghazi Khan. The initial investigations found the suspects to be sexual perverts. For last few years, crimes involving sexual assault are being reported frequently. Even serial killers and molesters have been arrested and identified.

The authorities, besides introducing reforms in law and investigation, should also start preparing a database of such criminals. This database should be computerised and centralised. A surveillance mechanism just like fourth schedulers should be implemented for them as it helped in community policing and tracing movement of the suspects.

Maid torture case:

Another horrific incident of brutal torture of a maid by her employer has been reported in Lahore’s Defence- B police limits this week. The case is even more tragic as the suspect after torturing the victim registered a case of theft against her and got her arrested. However, later on during investigations it was revealed that the suspect had been subjecting the victim to severe torture for long. A case was registered against him.

Horrific stories of inhumane treatment being meted out to domestic servants, especially children, continue pouring in. Domestic help is also deemed to be a modern form of slavery as the worker is bound to be available round the clock for service. The practice should be abolished and strict action should be taken against those who found torturing and engaging children as domestic help.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2020.