No official residences for senior cops in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: There are no official residences for senior cops of the provincial capital as the designated accommodation has been occupied by those who have served in the city years back.

It was learnt that the designated residences of the capital city police officer, senior superintendent of police operations, SSP Investigation, SSP Coordination and SPs of the cantonment, rural and city circles are occupied by those who are no more serving in the provincial capital.

“For the last several years, the CCPO, SSPs and SPs are either living in rented houses, ancestral homes or in the small rooms in the Police Club in Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines. Some of the officers had to live with their families in these small rooms since they had no other option,” a source told The News.

The same is the case with several DSPs and station house officers as their residences have been occupied by those who had once served in the city but are no more posted in Peshawar. Besides, the same is the case with the top officials of the Counter-Terrorism Department, the most sensitive force that needs properly guarded offices and residences for its officers.

Most of the officers of the CTD as well as other forces officials are either living in rented or own houses. “Keeping in view the level of threat, the officers of the capital city police and CTD should have been provided residences not far from their offices to minimise risk to their lives and families while moving to and from their place of work,” said the source.

The source added that once there were official bungalows for all these officers but those have been occupied by cops who previously served in Peshawar. “Since the day they took custody of these bungalows, they never vacated them,” he added. He said that many officers were given rent, but they were never given houses.