Security Arrangements: IGP comes down hard on the force

Assures foolproof security for Bangladesh’s cricket team, cancels weekly offs

LAHORE: The Inspector General of Punjab Police on Saturday said that arrangements are being made to provide "fool proof" security during Bangladesh cricket team’s tour of Pakistan.

The tour potentially in April will be the first by any team after the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009.

A joint security team, of Bangladesh authorities and the ICC, will arrive in Lahore today (Sunday) to review the security measures put in place.

IGP Habibur Rehman, the then CCPO, exonerated himself of all blame for the 2009 incident, fixing responsibility instead on two SPs – Ahsan Younis, now the Toba Tek Singh DPO; and Rai Ejaz Ahmad, currently posted in Bhakkar. Rehman said that had the two officers responded to the attack in time a crisis could have been averted. “I was not responsible. The High Court vindicated me,” he said.

The new IG also said that a weekly day off was not part of his “vision” for the police force. His predecessor Javed Iqbal had promised police officials that they would get a day off. “Why should I make a commitment that I cannot fulfill?” said Rehman while responding to a question on the subject.

In response to a question put to him, Habibur Rehman, denied that he wanted CCPO Ahmad Raza Tahir out of Lahore. “He wants to get posted somewhere else,” said the IGP.

He told reporters that he had forwarded a summary to the chief minister for inducting two children of an officer who dies in the line of duty, instead of one.

He said that he believed in merit and not political connections. “I was posted [as IGP] on merit, not any political influence,” he said, “I am the senior most police officer in the Punjab. [In fact] I could have been posted as IGP earlier.” He then vowed to abolish a ‘connections culture’ with one based on merit. All officers will have to earn their positions, he said.

The IG, asked when he would remove the barriers placed in front of his office, said that the Lahore High Court’s orders will be acted upon “soon”. He did not give a specific date by which the orders would be complied with.