Impounded cars under reported at PSs

LAHORE:

Punjab Police officials are allegedly committing gross irregularities when it comes to dealing with the issue of impounded vehicles at police stations (PS).

 This was revealed in an inspection report by the branch concerned. The report revealed that only 10 police stations were inspected during the past few days. It came forth that only 95 vehicles had been recorded properly out of a total of 233 vehicles that had been impounded in these PSs. The provincial capital police was no exception to this gross violation. In Lahore, out of a total of 69 vehicles only 17 vehicles were recorded in the system.

The record of 52 vehicles could not be found. As far the total 233 vehicles were found, no record of 138 vehicles was maintained. Reportedly after coming to notice about this practice, the police officers had recommended to take action against the SHO and muharar concerned if the record was not maintained. In the past, the cases had been reported in which the police officials themselves were found engaged in using the vehicles that had been recovered or impounded at police stations. A few cases had also came forth in which the policemen handed over the impounded vehicle to their personal contacts.

Meanwhile, Punjab IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan chaired a video link RPOs Conference at Central Police office. The senior police officers including Additional IG Training Kanwar Shahrukh, Additional IG Operations Sahibzada Shehzad Sultan, Additional IG Investigation Fayyaz Ahmed Dev, Additional IG Special Branch Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh, DIG Crimes Investigation Shariq Kamal Siddiqui, DIG Training Suleiman, Sultan Rana, DIG IT Waqas Nazir, and DIG SPU Munir Ahmed Zia, others were present while RPOs of the province participated through video link. During the meeting, the IGP issued instructions not to hold permanent pickets at any cost and hold only mobile checkpoints.

He asked the circle officer and SHO to take the full responsibility. He also asked the officers to put special focus on patrolling plan throughout the province and supervisory officers should ensure effective monitoring of patrolling plan. He also asked to install trackers in patrolling vehicles and effective monitoring of patrolling plan should be ensured in all cases. He asked RPOs to send reports to the CPO within a week of faulty trackers of patrolling vehicles and practical suggestions for their correction. He also ordered to the supervisory officers to make surprise visits to police stations and police offices and hold open courts there.

The purpose of surprise visits is to obtain feedback from citizens on the behavior of the police force and to ensure prompt service delivery, he added. “The supervisory officers or their representatives during the visit to police stations should in particular review staff behaviour and public service delivery. Strict action should be taken against corruption, disrespect to citizens or deliberate delay in resolving their issues,” the IGP asked the officers.