Top officials ‘miss’ CCPO’s first meeting

New police chief prioritises ending street crimes, encroachments in Lahore

LAHORE:

The newly appointed City Police Chief Muhammad Umer Sheikh conducted a high-level meeting sans deputy inspector general (DIG) operations, DIG investigations, senior superintendent of police (SSP) operations and SSP investigations at the CCPO office on Thursday.

The meeting was conducted to delineate the new chief’s policing priorities as well as issue necessary instructions to the police officials.

The meeting was attended by Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Hammad Abid, SSP Admin Liaqat Ali Malik, all divisional officers, superintendent of police (SP) security high court and SP Dolphin Force.

An official statement issued by the department read, “After assuming charge of Commander of Lahore Police Muhammad Umer Sheikh conducted a high level meeting with all senior officers”.

Contrary to the tradition and decorum, DIG Operations Ashfaq Khan, DIG Investigations Shahzada Sultan, SSP Operations Faisal Shahzad and SSP Investigations Zeeshan Asghar were not present during the high-level meeting.

The new police chief underscored that curbing street crimes, eradication of encroachments and operation against kite flying were his topmost priorities.

Unlike his predecessors, Muhammad Umer Sheikh did not emphasise on improving coordination with the public, uplifting police image or introducing any new information technology projects to modernize policing in the provincial capital.

Besides laying out priorities, Sheikh ordered divisional SPs to send their GPS location, on a Whatsapp group solely devised for the purpose, to prove their presence in the office.

“All Operation SPs should send their GPS location between 10am and 4pm, if on-field they should send their field location.”

Addressing the officers, he underlined that the eradication of crime and thorough investigation were among his foremost priorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2020.