LAHORE – ASHRAF JAVED  - The Punjab government has created a mess in the policing by appointing an officer of DIG-rank on the post of Additional Inspector General in Lahore in the presence of two Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs), already serving as heads of the investigation and operation wings of the City police.
According to the police order 2002, an officer of Additional-IG rank could be appointed as Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) in the provincial metropolises in the country.
Now, there are three officers of DIG-rank serving in Lahore including DIG Amjad Javed Saleemi as CCPO, Muhammad Tahir Rai as DIG (operations) and Chaudhry Shafique Ahmed as DIG (Investigations). More interestingly, Mr Saleemi has become the boss of two officers of the ranks equal to him.
During informal chat, many officers were of the view that an officer of Additional-IG rank should have been appointed on the post of CCPO, left vacant following the retirement of Additional-IG Muhammad Aslam Tareen early this month.
Police circles believe that such suspicious moves badly affect the working of the police because of administrative hiccups in policymaking and decisions’ implementation.
Under such circumstances, neither senior officers listen to their ‘boss’ seriously nor he can powerfully runs the administrative affairs of the department, thanks to the Chief Minister for violating the rules just to oblige his blue-eyed officer.
Not enough, the provincial government has also handed over the acting charge of the most important post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab to an officer of Additional-IG rank. Acting IGP Khan Baig, instead of looking after the day to day affairs of the department, has been seen serving the ‘interests’ of a few powerful politicians as full-fledged IGP.
On the other hand, the crimes and law and order situation in the provincial capital is worsening day by day. Gangsters are looting the motorists, families, and passersby with impunity while the surge in house robberies has also sent a shocking wave among the citizens. Armed bandits struck the provincial capital for more than 200 times successfully and made off with cash, gold ornaments, and other valuables worth Rs850 million from different parts of the City during the previous week. The gunmen also took away 30 cars and no less than 100 motorcycles from different parts of the City, thanks to the police top-brass of the police for leaving the Lahorites at the mercy of the dacoits.
There is no let-up in the incidents of armed robberies across the Punjab province, where more than 80,000 proclaimed offenders (POs) including hardened criminals involved in multiple killings, robberies, and other gun crimes are at large as the police have badly failed to launch a successful crackdown. Tens of thousands of Proclaimed Offenders wanted to the police in the cases of heinous crimes are also at large in Lahore alone.
According to crime statistics, the incidents of dacoities, robberies, and auto-lifting have also registered a considerable increase during the first 15 days of the current month if compared with the previous month.
For an instance, dacoits on Thursday hit the provincial capital for more than two dozen times, robbed residences, looted motorists, families and passersby and escaped without facing any resistance. The bandits collected cash, gold ornaments, and other valuables worth Rs10 million in a day. At least 15 motorcycles and four cars were either snatched or stolen away from different parts of the City on the same day.
On Wednesday, the gunmen robbed three residences at gunpoint and made off with cash and gold ornaments worth Rs one million. The bandits also took away cash and valuables in other two dozens strikes besides 10 motorcycles and five cars. Bandits shot at and wounded five people on offering resistance during robberies in different parts of the city during the last week. The investigators are still unable to trace out the criminals involved in the armed robberies.
During the first 15 days of the previous month, dacoits conducted armed raids and struck the City more than 350 times successfully. Forty-five cars and 80 motorcycles were either snatched or stolen away from different parts of the City during the same period.