Talking change: Reform police for good governance, says Rajwana

Governor addresses meeting on law and order.

MULTAN:

Governor Rafiq Rajwana said on Wednesday police reforms were the need of the hour. He was chairing a meeting on law and order at the Circuit House in Multan.

Multan Division Commissioner Captain (r) Asadullah Khan, RPO Amjad Javed, DCO Zahid Saleem Gondal, MNAs Javed Ali Shah, Syed Dewan Ashiq Hussein and MPAs Muhammad Ali Khokhar, Rana Ijaz Noon, Mehdi Abbas Langah and Rai Mansab Ali Khan were also present at the meeting.

The governor said, “Citizens face so many problems trying to lodge first information reports (FIRs). Multiple trips to police stations are taxing and degrading.”

He said the police culture needed to change. “Policemen and citizens should be on the same page when it comes to law and order.”

He said policemen should refrain from entertaining complaints implicating innocent people.



He said new recruitments should be made in police in the Multan region, infrastructure be improved and issues like police stations without buildings should be brought to the notice of the chief minister so that funds might be arranged for those.

“Good governance can only be ensured through police reform,” he said. “Once we have reformed our policemen, we would be well-placed to ensure the best governance.”

He said TMAs should take action against housing schemes that had not provided roads, mosques and green belts for the residents. “Such housing schemes later become encroachment mafias and they should not be allowed to continue their illegal activities.”

He said police and Pakistan Army were fighting a war against terrorism. “Efforts should be made to boost the morale of policemen rendering sacrifices for their country,” he said.

Earlier, the RPO gave the governor a detailed presentation on law and order in the region. The RPO told the governor about shortage of manpower and cars and other facilities needed to ensure effective policing in the region. The governor assured him that he bring these issues to the notice of the chief minister and steps would be taken to address them as soon as possible.

Rajwana the urged parliamentarians to ensure payments were made to the MEPCO on time. He said strict action should be taken against defaulters. He gave the directions after he was briefed by the MEPCO chief executive officer on power theft and payments in the region.

The governor said elimination of load shedding was a top priority of the government. He said billions of rupees had been invested for the purpose. “It is unfortunate that due to actions of some individuals, efforts to curb load shedding are jeopardised.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2015.