Punjab punishes 14 cops for negligence, rule violations

Punjab Police has punished 14 officers and personnel for negligence and violations of departmental rules.

The disciplinary actions were announced by DIG Operations Faisal Kamran after reviewing 18 show-cause notices issued to various officers, Express News reported.

The disciplinary proceedings took place at the Police Lines in Qila Gujjar Singh, where DIG Kamran addressed the officers in the Erdal Room, outlining the penalties.

Ten personnel were handed immediate penalties, which included salary and increment stoppage, as well as other forms of punishment.

Meanwhile, four officers received final warnings to improve their performance and conduct.

DIG Kamran emphasized the importance of departmental accountability in building a strong and effective police force. He stated that there is no room for negligence, corruption, or misuse of authority within Lahore's police.

"Police personnel who exceed their authority are enemies of both the public and the police force," he said.

Underlining the government's zero-tolerance policy for corruption and abuse of power, DIG Kamran assured that stringent action would be taken against any officer found guilty of misconduct.

At the same time, he affirmed that those diligently performing their duties would be encouraged and recognized. He also vowed not to allow a few 'black sheep' to tarnish the image of the entire police department.

Earlier last week, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Operations dismissed 10 officials from the Dolphin Squad on corruption charges. The dismissal followed a comprehensive inquiry which uncovered widespread misconduct within the unit.

Among the dismissed personnel were Sub-Inspector Nasir Khan, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Shahid, and Constables Sakhawat, Hamza, Amanat, Naqash, and Irfan.

The inquiry report revealed that a corruption scandal involving millions of rupees had surfaced within the Dolphin Squad, leading to the personnel’s termination.

The report disclosed that Rs200 million had been allocated for the repair of motorcycles and other vehicles used by the Dolphin Squad.

However, Rs80 million of this amount was found to have been embezzled. Procurement officers and other officials were also implicated in the corruption, as they were found to have violated the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules by purchasing defective vehicle parts and mismanaging funds.