City police planning an SMS-based complaint management system. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf said the initiative was the first of its kind. It has been developed in collaboration with IT experts.
Citizens will be able to lodge complaints via text message to 8330, Dr Ashraf said. “We will follow up on the case and take action on the complaints within a week... It will also help the police track complaints.”
Dr Ashraf said the initiative would ensure that citizens’ grievances were addressed efficiently. It will also improve people’s access to police officials, he said. “They will be simply an SMS away.”
The DIG said he would personally monitor the operations of the complaint management system. He said the processing of cases registered through text messages would be quicker. He said crimes involving property (unidentified suspects) would be processed in 24 hours, monetary and land-grab cases in seven days and crimes against person (except murders) in three days.
Ashraf said after receiving a text message, police officials will inform the complainant about the timeframe with regard to conversion of complaint into FIR and subsequent action taken.
Model Town SSP Muhammad Baqar Raza said the initiative would especially help people who would otherwise be reluctant to visit police stations. It would give them the opportunity to register complaints in an environment devoid of fear, he said. “It will also help the police serve people better,” he said. This is the first in a series of initiatives the police are planning to win back the people’s confidence, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2015.
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I'm really happy that after the launch of anti-terrorism helpline now police is also moving to a modern era. I think now it's time to move forward, our Policemen even don't know how to use a computer while a 5th class kid knows that.
In foreign countries Police forces are highly qualified and also have various skills, but in Pakistan mostly illiterate and people with low education work in Police forces.
I think it's a good step, because mostly students and lower middle class people don't even have sufficient balance to call police and with this sms service they can have easy and quick access to Police.
But the question arises is that will our Police respond well to those complaints? They should be a strong check on these texts.