LAHORE Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that young police officers should play an effective role for the provision of prompt justice to the common man and bringing a positive change in Thana culture so that a feeling could be promoted in the poor masses that they have as much right over the country as the elite. He said police officers should not only come up to the expectations of the people but also provide justice to the common citizens without any discrimination. He said there was a need for collective efforts for the progress and development of the country. He said economic self-reliance was essential for genuine freedom measures should be taken for developing indigenous resources instead of relying on others. He said this while addressing a 35-member delegation of ASPs (UT) of 36th CTC which called him under the leadership of Commandant Mehmood Alam Masood at Chief Ministers Secretariat here Tuesday. Provincial Minster for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, IG Police and Home Secretary were also present on the occasion. Addressing the under-training police officers, the chief minister said young police officers should take full benefit of the opportunity given to them for serving the country and the people and they should play an active role for bringing positive changes in the traditional system of police for the protection of life and property of people and solution of the problems of the citizens. He said Pakistan was passing through a critical phase of its history and facing serious challenge of extremism. He said blood of innocent citizens was being shed and Pak Army, police and general public were rending supreme sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He said terrorists were not only maligning the country but the process of foreign investment and development had also been affected. He said young officers should take maintenance of law and order as a challenge. He said besides elimination of terrorism, reformation of traditional police system was also important as at present the common man thinks twice before going to police station for seeking justice. He said there are also good officers in police force but there were still complaints of corruption and high handedness in police stations. He said there were double standards of justice and sometimes oppressors are made the aggrieved on the basis of influence. He said that a strict accountability system in police department was of paramount importance was improving its efficiency and making police force servant of the people in the real sense. He said Punjab government was taking practical measures for this purpose. The CM further said dictators ruled the country for 32 years out of its 63 years history and they always blamed democratic government for corruption and mismanagement whereas the facts were different. He said Musharrafs era was the worst period of country history and not only national resources were looted but institutions were also destroyed. He said Musharraf cowed down before his foreign masters only to prolong his rule. He said freedom of expression was the hallmark of democratic era so that people could raise their voice for the solution of their problems. He said democracy was the name of service to the people and there was a dire need for strengthening of democratic system in the country and solution of peoples problems. Shahbaz Sharif said recruitments in Punjab police had been made purely on merit and honest officers had been assigned field duties. He said Inspector General Police Tariq Saleem was also an honest and hard working officer and was making sincere efforts for the reformation of police system.