Pakistan safe country for tourism, investment: IGP

LAHORE:IG Punjab Dr Usman Anwar has said the visit of Netherland’s OHC Bully hockey club team to Pakistan is definitely a great development. This tour will certainly play a key role in highlighting Pakistan’s soft image among the world community and now it has proved that Pakistan is a safe country for tourism and investment.

He said this while talking to media at the first game of three-match series between Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Netherland’s OHC Bully hockey club teams at the National Hockey Stadium on Monday.

IG Punjab further said that police department has a close attachment with sports particularly hockey for a long time. “Legendary cricketer late Fazal Mehmood, Olympians Munir Dar and Zaka ud Din were part of police hockey team. Police hockey team has won 14 medals in multiple national level hockey tournaments”. Dr Asif Tufail further said that Punjab Sports Department has laid modern FIH-approved turf at the National Hockey Stadium and we are quite confident to host more international hockey teams at this venue.

“Definitely, it is a historic day. This visit will play a significant role in the revival of international hockey in Pakistan”. HEC defeated OHC Bully hockey club team by a narrow margin of 2-1 in the first game of 3-match series. Ammar and Usman Ashraf scored one goal each for HEC team while skipper Ruben Kattier netted the only goal for visiting OHC Bully hockey club team. The guest team will play three matches in Pakistan. The next match will be played at the same venue on February 21 while Islamabad will host the third match on February 30.

Maintenance of law & order top priority

Inspector General Police Punjab Dr Usman Anwar has said that the maintenance of law and order and crime control is the first priority of Punjab Police in all situations. Punjab police is committed that all the dangerous robbers and miscreants in the Kacha area will be brought to justice.

He expressed these views while presiding over the video link meeting held at the Central Police Office on Monday. Additional IG South Punjab, all RPOs, CPOs, DPOs and officers concerned attended the conference.

In the conference, IG Punjab reviewed the law and order, crime control and public service delivery projects. RPOs, CPOs and DPOs gave a briefing about ongoing measures for law and order, crime control.

IG Punjab said that Punjab Police has been equipped with beautiful infrastructure and latest IT technology in a short period of time. He directed to complete the construction of new Safe Cities, Saiban, Smart Police Stations, and traffic offices in given timelines. He said that an effective financial support system has been formulated for the maintenance of Special Initiative Police Stations. It is the responsibility of the supervisory officers to maintain the beauty and working of the Special Initiative Police Stations.

IG Punjab said that the border check posts have been strengthened and upgraded with modern technology and thermal cameras. At inter-provincial police check-posts, our officials are a leaden wall in front of the terrorists, he said.

IG Punjab directed the officers to continue intelligence-based operations on a daily basis to eliminate organised crime in all districts and effective use of modern technology should facilitate the process of arresting criminals and providing public service delivery to citizens. DIG Operations Waqas Nazir and AIG Logistics Ismail ur Rehman and other officers were present in the meeting.