National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) Inspector General Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema has stressed the need for bridging the trust deficit between police and the people.
“The biggest challenge faced by the police today is not scarcity of resources or manpower. It is trust deficit,” Cheema said.
The IG was addressing under-training NHMP assistant superintendents on Tuesday, said a press release.
“People don’t consider the police honest and think that they lack the virtues of courtesy and sympathy. In order to improve the image of the police, you have to be honest. One can only win the trust of the public through one’s character,” he told the officers.
“Your uniform will only become a symbol of pride and prestige if you develop the traits of honesty, courtesy and sympathy in your personality.
“Dishonest and cowardly police officers do not command respect. Public would respect and adore you if you get your earning through honest means, be courageous and possess good character,” the IG said.
He said, “Courage is as important as honesty for a guardian. Firstly, you should be honest, upright and impartial. Discharge your duties under the guidelines of Quad-i-Azam.
Secondly, when facing crises you should stand firm, don’t retreat by taking leave or ‘making’ yourself sick, otherwise mobs would force your police stations to get criminals released.
If this happens, the police will be mocked and ridiculed by the public and country would head towards anarchy.”
He said everybody is responsible for the present situation. “The police have their own weaknesses and the government is not standing firm with the police.
Police officers get involved in various cases and even they have to sell their assets to contest court cases.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2014.
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