Increased duties: Capital police strength termed insufficient

Nisar acknowledges shortage of personnel, says creation of new posts under way.

ISLAMABAD:

The personnel strength of the Islamabad Police is inadequate to meet the needs of the capital, according to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

“The present strength of the capital’s police is insufficient to cope with the law and order situation in the city,” Nisar told Senators last week in response to a question.

Recently, the Islamabad Police requisitioned strength from the Frontier Constabulary, Punjab Police and Azad Jammu and Kashmir Police to cope with the law and order and security situation during the sit-ins of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek in Islamabad, the minister stated; adding that proposal for creation of 6,202 new posts was under process.

At present, he revealed that 700 vacant posts of constables and 45 of assistant sub-inspectors were available with the ICT police and recruitment against the posts was also under way.

In the wake of the Peshawar tragedy, the country’s political leadership devised a comprehensive plan of action against terrorism. On one hand, the 20-point National Action Plan envisaged execution of convicted terrorists, establishment of special courts and a crackdown on jihadi and sectarian outfits. But on the other hand, the capital is still vulnerable due to a lack of police personnel.

Security experts are of the opinion that the capital needs a strong police force to thwart terror bids as well as tackle rising crime, which has recently seen the surfacing of sectarian target killings as well as dumping of bodies.

In June 2014, a powerful bomb ripped through a busy corner of the city’s main vegetable market killing at least 24 people and injuring around 116 others. It was the second deadly attack in Islamabad since March 3, when militants had killed 12 people in a gun-and-suicide assault on the district courts.

At different stages, from the Lal Masjid siege to the military operations in Swat and South and North Waziristan, the capital has remained a prime target of militants yet it lacks adequate security.

Besides, uncertainty in transfer policies, political and superiors’ pressure, double duties, special duties with rallies and movements have added insult to injuries for the policeman on the street.

“We have 12-hour long duty shifts and no official holiday in a month,” said a hawaldar of the Islamabad Police while requesting not to be named. “Only those who have good relations with the muharrars and are able to meet his fatigues and grease his palm can avoid almost everything,” he said.

While remembering the previous SSP operations Asmatullah Junejo, the hawaldar said each police official was allowed three days off in a month during his tenure, adding that the ‘luxury’ vanished since Juenjo’s removal from the post.

The official explained that high-ups were well acquainted with the situation but kept directing subordinates to perform duties with efficiency under these difficult circumstances. “Many of us would have left the job if we had another option,” he said.

Acting SSP Operations Mir Vais Niaz said it would take some time to fulfill the vacant posts as training takes almost a year. “Population and territory of the capital has increased but not the strength of the force,” he said.

The SSP said that around 750 posts could not be fulfilled despite being approved by the previous government and after one-and-a-half year of the incumbent government.

On the issue of long work hours, Niaz said he has not changed any of Junejo’s policies and would look into the matter.

Despite the difficulties, he assured that police along with intelligence agencies were trying hard to avert any terror incident in the face of threats which are coming almost every second day.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.