LAHORE: The department of police was created in the name of citizen service but Punjab Police seem to forget it quite often. Despite the installation of millions of rupees worth latest technology and reforms in the police department to keep it at par with modern necessities, the behaviour of police force remains the same.
Police officers, working on taxpayers’ money, have ignored the reasons behind their department’s initiation. These officers abuse their powers and create more problems for people instead of solutions.
Punjab government has spent a lot on the re-hauling of the police force, including setting up of modern forces, like Elite Force, Dolphin Force and PRU, but nothing positive has come out of it.
It is often said that policemen are always ready to serve masses by eradicating the crimes from the society; however, the reality is contrary to these claims; there is a small number of police officers who are willing to understand the problems of people, along with reforming the thana culture.
Thana culture thrives on its well-wishers — the police lobby. The police department cannot be reformed without putting an end to the lobbying in the department. This lobbying practice helps police officers get away with poor professional performance, fake encounters and mistreatment of citizens. This system also helps station house officers to get their favourite postings, undermining merit. This system also helps SHOs — who are suspended for corrupt practices — to get their jobs back with any accountability.
When Lahore CCPO and DIG (Operations) took action against the malpractices of SHOs on the complaints of people, nothing happened; these people, instead of an inquiry commission, got back on their jobs like nothing happened. A few months back, Township area SHO Asif Khan was suspended by the DIG for corrupt practices, but in few days he was back, working.
There are a lot of SHOs who are on a payroll of land mafias, drug traffickers and other criminals. This money is exactly the reason which can afford these SHOs a luxurious life, as in their own pay, it just does not seem possible. Ihsan Ashraf Butt, Faisal Sharif, Majid Bashr, Rana Shahid, Shabbir Awan, Ch Sarwar Iqbal, Zulfiqar Butt, Hammad Butt, Ateeq Dogar, Sharif Sindhu, Nabi Bux Butt, Iftikhar, Hussnain Haider, Javeed Sadeeq, Ibrar Shah, Sohail Kazmi, Mazhar Iqbal Ranjha are too name a few from a list of SHOs and DSPs involved in these practices; similarly, Bashir Niazi, Mian Shafqat, Muratab Jutt, Rana Iftikhar, Tariq Kiani, Faiz Tenda, Raees Khan and Khalid Farooq from police’s CIA are part of this whole list. These elements in the police system are severely affecting police’s morale.
It is surprising to see the attitude of police high-ups to these people. Police system cannot be revamped without effective measures, which, first of all, includes posting honest and efficient SHOs. Is there a lack of good SHOs in the force, or higher officials have exactly the same people in mind for these reforms? It remains a mystery.
A disgraceful atmosphere at police stations is intimidating to such level that people are afraid to come file their FIRs, and even if they still come, FIR means further sufferings. These aforementioned officers are a hurdle to the betterment of the police department and a disgrace to their honest colleagues.
The police department needs an intervention from Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif; if Shehbaz Sharif holds an open court to address the issues regarding and in the police department, then there are not many officials who will be able to keep their jobs after that.
Before the introduction of modern technology in the police department, police officers used to hold public meetings to address the complaints of people, but at this time, after the introduction of new technology, these complaints still remain unaddressed.
Police officers give ‘all good’ reports to the chief minister, even if they need to be forged.
The police department casually says that not all cops are corrupt and there are only a few such degenerate elements which are bringing a bad name to the department; but, again, these people have been given powers by these officers to abuse. No one acts against them; if an action was taken against them that was just on paper, no intangible outcome. The police department is in need of dire reforms, it awaits Shehbaz Sharif interference to be run properly.
