At least 47 sub-inspectors (SIs) serving as investigation in charge at city’s various police stations are not eligible to investigate cases of missing persons, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom and other heinous crimes, in accordance with the Police Order, 2002.
The recent reshuffling and appointment of more than 30 SIs as in charge of investigations at various police stations, who were serving as station house officers before this posting, not only increased the number of SIs as in charge of Investigations, but was also a clear violation of the code of conduct, police sources said.
The Police Order, 2002, which was considered a revolutionary change in the police department, says that only an inspector-rank officer could investigate aforesaid four major sanctions. According to the order, only a cop of inspector rank can serve as SHO or in charge of an investigation at the police station-level.
About a month ago, Punjab Inspector General of Police Javed Iqbal attempted to implement the police order at the police station-level and ordered deploying inspectors as SHOs all over Punjab. While complying with the orders, the Lahore Police appointed more than 30 SIs with inspectors after a series of interviews.
Only a couple of days later, the DIG Investigation appointed the same SIs as in charge of investigations at various police stations, which was a clear violation of the police order and defiance of the IGP’s orders. According to the Police Order, 2002, an SI working as an investigation officer was unable to probe cases of missing persons, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom and other heinous crimes.
Sources said in routine, Lahore Police registered 10 to 12 cases of heinous crimes that were automatically shifted and divided among these 30 inspectors, leaving them seriously overburdened and resulting in delays in submission of challans of cases in courts. The IGP also seems to have ignored the posting of SIs as in charge investigations.
The sources said top cops of the Investigation Wing absolved themselves of the blame by taking the stance that they did not have enough inspectors available to fulfill the posts of in charge of investigations. However, sources privy to these transfers and posting revealed that the decision was made by the top cops of Lahore Police due to political pressure and in order to justify their position in front of their political bosses.
The sources said there were 264 inspectors available with the Lahore Police but most inspectors preferred respectful office jobs like working as reader to CCPO, DIG’s or at any other important posts in the offices of the CCPO and DIGs of operations or investigations, Mujahid Squad, Crime Investigation Agency and at 15-Police Control.
The sources said most of them were working on same posts for a long time, which was pointed out by the staff of IGP after which the IGP himself transferred five inspectors from CIA to city traffic police and operations wing of the Lahore Police. IGP Public Relations Director Mrs Nabeela told Pakistan Today that the IGP was very keen to change the things according to the Police Order, 2002. She said the matter was also in IGP’s knowledge and would soon be resolved according to the order.
She, however, confirmed that there were flaws and delays in investigations. Nabeela said the IGP had constituted an executive board for resolving and implementation of such issues and he would take up the issue in the next meeting of the board.
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