Village watchmen system restored in Rawalpindi
PHOTO: FILE
On the instructions of Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Chatta, the watchman system [Chokidari system] has been restored in all the villages of four districts of Rawalpindi Division which includes Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock Under the Punjab Chowkidara Rules, 1982, Chowkidars were made bound to cooperate with the police station, including patrolling villages.
The previous political governments had paralyzed the Chowkidara security system. Two days ago, the Punjab Board of Revenue issued orders for the immediate implementation of the Chowkidara system in Punjab, implementation of which has been started.
All village chowkidar-watchmen will be under the control of the local assistant commissioners from where their appointments and recruitment will be done while the area mumberdars will be directly supervised these chowkidars. All Chowkidars will be given regular salary, uniform and official Chowkidar ID card. If a watchman is found guilty of neglecting his duties, departmental action will be taken against him.
The Caretaker Govt had earlier restored the numbardar system across the province which is now fully functional. Now in the second phase the Chowkidar system has also been restored. In the villages where Chowkidars are not present, recruitment will be done immediately on new regular basis.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2023.