Police independence proving fruitful: Buzdar

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the police are performing their duties free of political pressure for the first time in the province's history and this has yielded good results.

He was addressing a meeting of senior officers during a visit to the Central Police Office (CPO).

The chief minister took keen interest in the antique weapons, uniforms and medals preserved in the police museum.

He said the police had been given complete freedom to work and appointments had also been made on merit.

While asking the police officers to regularly hold open courts, the CM said provision of prompt relief to people was their foremost duty.

He said the RPOs and DPOs should conduct surprise visits to police stations and take action on any irregularities or violations of law.

The chief minister said the culprits of the Anarkali bomb explosion would soon be brought to the book.

The CM announced the approval in principle of a proposal to employ two members of the family of each martyr. Further steps would be taken in this regard keeping in view the legal requirements.

He said the scope of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority would be extended across the province and recruitment for the purpose had been approved. In Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, the command of Baloch Levies has been handed over to the police and more than 9,000 personnel have been promoted, he said.

The CM said promotion cases from the inspector to SP ranks should be dealt with expeditiously. He said the government had given executive allowance to police officers and also increased it by restoring frozen allowance. Police have also been given 670 vehicles and 235 motorcycles in three years, he added. An additional 825 vehicles are being provided for highway patrolling and 304 police stations are being given the status of special initiative police stations, while 90 have been converted into the category.

Dolphin Force has been deployed in Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan, he stated.

Police recruitments for 12,278 posts were under way, while the process for 5774 posts had been completed, he said.

The chief minister said 54 kanals of land had been provided for the CTD headquarters and police training schools were being established in Sahiwal, Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh and DG Khan. Construction of Chiniot Police Lines will be completed this year and more land would also be provided for the project, the CM assured the officers. The CM disclosed that a school of public order would be set up to train the anti-riot force and officials of other sections.

The establishment of a forensic lab in South Punjab has been approved, while sample collection centres would be set up at the district headquarters.

The chief minister said Rs200 million had been allocated to establish the 911 helpline. Financial powers have been given to SHOs, he added. An additional IG has been posted in South Punjab and the prison vans have been upgraded.

The CM said investigation and follow up of cases should be made effective. He said the problems of overseas Pakistanis should be solved on a priority basis.

He also said the e-transfer and e-pension system should be introduced in the department.

The CM distributed prizes among the police officials who had performed well.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2022.