18 new police stations in Lahore suggested

Lahore police seek to establish 18 new police stations in the city to improve the operations for curbing crimes and ensuring law and order.

Last year, the officials concerned had sent a proposal to establish 11 new police stations in the city. There are 84 police stations in the provincial capital.

The inspector general of police (IGP) Punjab had reportedly asked the field officers some time back to send proposals for opening new police stations.

He also asked for the related data including the crime rate of last five years, area and population to justify the need for new police stations.

After a need-based analysis, at least 92 new police stations across Punjab were proposed. Now the AIG development has again asked for details in this regard.

In the updated proposal, Lahore police have suggested the establishment of 18 new police stations.

In February last year, then CCPO Zulfiqar Hameed had proposed 11 more police stations in Lahore. The crime rate, population and area were primarily considered while considering the demarcation of the limits of new police stations.

The former CCPO had proposed that the Shahdara police station be divided into two parts by giving the Begum Kot post the status of a police station. Shahdara police station not only has one of the highest rates of crime in the city but has also a vast area as well as a huge population.

The other proposition was of setting up of Shadipura police station within the jurisdiction of Baghbanpura police station. He had also called for elevating the Nadirabad chowki to a police station in the South Cantonment area.

He also proposed creation of Punjab Society police station by removing the area from the jurisdiction of Factory Area PS. The proposal included the establishment of two new police stations named Defence D and Sabzi Mandi within the area currently covered by the Nishter Colony PS.

The establishment of Rakh Chandrai PS in Kot Lakhpat, and Haloki and Sua Asal PS by division of the Kahna precinct was also proposed.

The division of PS Raiwind into two parts was considered too and it was suggested that Sundar Industrial Estate and Bahria Town should have separate police stations.

PS Sher Shah was also proposed within the jurisdiction of PS Raiwind. The updated proposal also asked for establishment of new police stations in Journalist Colony, Sessions Court and Nadirabad.

In 1947, there were only nine police stations in Lahore headed by an SP and two DSPs. In 1970, the number of police stations was increased from nine to 12. In 1972, the provincial metropolis was divided into two police divisions, city and cantonment. In 1990, the third division, Sadar, was created and the number of police stations was raised to 30.

In 1996, the Model Town division was added and the number of police stations was increased to 42.

In 2000, Lahore police witnessed fundamental changes in their administrative affairs as the number of police stations jumped to 76. The number of police divisions in the city became nine when Civil Lines, Kot Lakhpat, Mughalpura, Ravi Town and Iqbal Town were added.

However, in 2007, the Ravi Town, Mughalpura and Kot Lakhpat divisions were dissolved.

In 2012, investigations and operations wings were separated and 12 SPs were appointed, while the number of police stations in the city rose to 84.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2021.