Saqib Mushtaq
LODHRAN

For over 1.6 million people of Lodhran district, only 700 policemen are available while the police stations here are set up in rented or other departments’ buildings thereby showing the government’s step motherly attitude towards the region, local people said.
South Punjab’s most important district Lodhran, which in matters of defence and economy holds the status of spinal cord, is being neglected in almost every respect. Lodhran was declared as district in 1991. It has the population of over 1.6 million but only 700 police officials are deployed whereas Mandi Bahauddin which was recently declared as district has 2,500 police officials.
Lodhran police are busy protecting the people’s lives and their belongings despite the shortage of policemen. For Lodhran’s population, 10 police stations have been established and only 3 police check-posts are present.
The office of DSP Saddr Circle Lodhran is located at the property of TMA Lodhran and its building is in the worst condition; hundreds of thousands of rupees are spent annually on its repair.
Police Station Gailaywaal is established in the building of Bangla Sidha and it does not have the boundary walls. Thus, the officials of the police station do not have security. Similarly, Police Station Qureshiwala is the favourite area of the criminals which has the jurisdiction from Qureshiwala to Jalaalpur Pirwala and also includes the river bed area. Its building is also in very bad condition and has no boundary walls.
Police Station Dhanot is also established by taking over the building of Basic Health Unit (BHU) and residences of the officials were established in the building. The police station is situated in the main bazaar which is not suitable due to security concerns. The Saddr Police Station which monitors the most sensitive area was shifted into the building of Police Station City Kehror Pakka but due to difficulties in the administrative matters, it was later shifted to a rented building.
For DSP CTD’s office, a private building was acquired and the office of DSP patrolling is also set up in a rented building. Adjoining to Model Police Station City, there is a building of CIA Staff in which city police station was set up earlier and it is the only building which has the honour of being the first Police Department’s building. Now it houses DSP Traffic office and its staff.
Local people demanded that Punjab IGP Mushtaq Sukhera should make efforts for the construction of buildings for the police stations, and increase the number of policemen in district Lodhran.
When contacted, DPO Asad Sarfraz Khan said that Police Station Dhanot’s building has been approved and as soon as funds are released its construction will be started while new appointments will also be made on the orders of IG Punjab soon.