Police, FC row jeopardising law and order in Rajanpur

Rift between Rajanpur police and FC over abduction of Shahwali policemen, takes its toll on law and order situation.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: The rift between Rajanpur police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC) over the alleged abduction and beating of Shahwali policemen, including the station house officer (SHO), by FC men is taking its toll on the law and order situation.

Imtiaz Chagwani, the SHO at Shahwali police station who was allegedly abducted and beaten up by the FC men, told The Express Tribune that he may tender his resignation if the government, the police and FC high-ups do not take action against the accused FC men. He said he had tendered a “symbolic resignation” during a press conference in Lahore as he had been assured by high officials of strict action against the FC.

Sohail Chatha, the Rajanpur district police officer, told The Express Tribune that tension between the two departments was not good for the law and order situation in the district. He said that the issue should be settled immediately in order to preserve the sanctity of law enforcement agencies and to restore public confidence in them.

A Shahwali police official on condition of anonymity said that the police officials in Rajanpur were working under extreme pressure. They were concerned, he said, the FC men might again attack and beat them up.

He said that there was widespread resentment among the police as neither the government nor senior police and FC officials had taken notice of the FC’s highhandedness.

The police, he said, was responsible for enforcing the law. He asked how they could perform their duties when they themselves were not secure.

The FC men reportedly raided the Goth Mazari police station on September 18, 2010, and got a case registered against three Shahwali police officials: SHO Imtiaz Chagwani, Abdul Jabbar and Sajjad. These officials were allegedly beaten up by about 435 FC men and held hostage for a day. The FC men had raided the Shahwali police station on September 16 in response to the arrest of an FC official, Hammad Ali of Bhambore Rifles. Ali was taken into custody for beating up Abdul Jabbar, who was in charge of a police check post in Shahwali station precincts, and a civilian, while travelling in a bus.

Ali had a scuffle with the civilian while Jabbar intervened to settle the dispute. He too was beaten up by Ali.

The Rajanpur police had later registered a case against 46 FC officials including Colonel Shafeeq and three subedars for kidnapping and beating police officials.

The Dera Ghazi Khan regional police officer, Ahmad Mubarik Ahmad, said that he had tried to settle the issue by discussing it with the FC high-ups. The FC high officials, he said, paid no heed to his suggestions for settling the dispute.

He said unlike the FC men, the Rajanpur police did not take the law in their hands. He suggested that a joint investigation team containing FC and police high officials be constituted to investigate the incident and punish the culprits.

The Rajanpur DPO said that a joint investigation team should be formed but before that the FC should hand over the accused officials to the police. He said that if the accused officials were not handed over they would be declared proclaimed offenders.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2010.