Police shake-ups

In a sort of musical chairs, the Punjab police have undergone as many as eight shake-ups over the past 18 months. The frequent transfers and postings of police officers in the biggest province of the county has surprised observers, laymen, officials and rank and file, and has come under strident criticism by the opposition, causing embarrassment to the ruling parties. The reshuffles in the police have been going on since April last year, raising doubts about the government’s intentions as to whether the exercise has the broader purpose of improving policing in the province or it is rather a narrow one aimed at serving the interests of well-entrenched political groups.

Since the PTI formed the government in August 2018, five IGs have been changed. Reshuffle in the Punjab police — especially five changes at the top in less than two years — has invited scathing criticism of the government by the opposition. Every IG tried to bring his own team, though it remains unknown whether for their own convenience or at the behest of higher-ups. Controversial transfers on the complaints of influential like that of DPO Pakpattan too happened during the past 18 months, adding to the misgivings of a bewildered people. During this period too, six additional IGs, two Regional Police Officers, 13 DIGs and two SSPs have been transferred.

A report in this newspaper has quoted a senior officer as saying that influential circles in the government believe that the police at the lower levels are mostly under the influence of the PML-N; and also, some senior police officers, who have been serving in the province for more than a decade, have formed their own lobbies and they work as pressure groups for the government. So transfers at such a massive scale were aimed at dismantling such groups to get rid of the influence of the former ruling party on the Punjab police.

Whatever be the purpose of quick transfers, the important fact cannot be ignored that transfers at this mythical speed of police officials erode their efficiency and bring demoralisation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2020.

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