Rawalpindi Police rocked by corruption scandal

Rawalpindi : A significant corruption scandal has erupted within the Rawalpindi Police, with revelations emerging of officers and personnel allegedly providing backing and support to drug dealers. In a decisive move, City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani has dismissed a total of 18 police officials, including the Station House Officer (SHO) of New Town Police Station.

The dismissed personnel include one sub-inspector, four Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), four head constables, and eight constables, all reportedly stationed at the New Town Police Station.

According to police sources, the dismissals followed an internal scrutiny initiated during a recent crackdown on drug trafficking. A team of senior officers reportedly investigated the matter after initial links were suspected, ultimately uncovering what they deemed as concrete evidence of the dismissed individuals' connections to and support for drug peddlers.

A police spokesperson confirmed the dismissals, emphasizing that the action was taken after a thorough investigation revealed the extent of the alleged collusion.

The dismissal of the SHO of New Town Police Station, Anwar-ul-Haq, alongside the other 17 officers and personnel, signals a potentially deep-rooted problem within a key police jurisdiction in Rawalpindi.

While CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani stated that the actions were taken under the police accountability mechanism, the revelations are likely to raise serious concerns about the integrity of law enforcement in the region. He also highlighted that over 500 drug dealers have been convicted and are serving lengthy prison sentences, ranging from 10 to 20 years. However, this statistic now stands in stark contrast to the alleged complicity of his own officers.

This scandal raises critical questions about the oversight mechanisms within the Rawalpindi Police and the potential impact of such corruption on the ongoing fight against drug trafficking. Further investigations are expected to determine the full extent of the officers' involvement and whether more individuals within the force were implicated.