MULTAN City News

Multan police facing acute shortage of staff

RPO says 9,000-10,000 policemen required for Multan keeping population volume in view

From Nadeem Shah

MULTAN: Multan police are facing acute shortage of staff, which may be considered as a security lapse from the Muharram security point of view, The News has learnt.

The sources said that the district police are facing shortage of 5,500 policemen. They said that the police officers up to the rank of SPs and SDPOs are having additional charges. The sources said that at least 10,000 policemen are required to meet security challenges but the available strength is 4,500. They said that the city police have hired 2,860 Qaumi Razakars and volunteers for Muharram security duties. The Qaumi Razakars and volunteers are not regular professionals, the sources added. They said that they perform different kinds of work round the year, including running shops and kiosks. They are hired for security duties in Muharram against a very meager financial incentive, the sources added.

They said that the post of the senior superintendent of police (Operations) has been vacant for the last one year. The sources said that the post of the senior superintendent of police (Investigations) has been vacant for more than three months. Similarly, the post of the CIA SSP has been vacant for more than two and a half years, they said, adding that Gulgasht circle SDPO Nasrullah Warriach has been working with the additional charge of the CIA SP and the Mumtazabad SDPO.

The sources said that Multan police had taken up the staff shortage issue with the then Punjab IGP in 2011 and sought recruitments, but the hiring has been pending since then.

According to the chapter 2-2 of the Police Rules 1934, at least one constable is required against every 450 people and two upper-subordinates, a head constable and 12 foot constables to deal with every 75 cases registered at a police station. The Police Rule 2-2(3), which deals with the deployment of force on the basis of crime in rural areas, says one SI, one ASI, one HC and 12 foot constables will deal with an average 75 cases at a police station and for every 50 cases above the normal figure, the staff shall be increased by one ASI and two constables.

The Police Rules 1934 say a new police station becomes a requirement in an area when number of cases exceeds 1,600 yearly. The numbers of registered cases have been touching around 2,000 figures, particularly in New Multan, Gulgasht and Mumtazabad areas.

When contacted, Multan Regional Police Officer Sultan Azmat Taimuri confirms the police shortage and said that the high-ups have been informed about it. He said: “I am unable to tell exact figure, but I think 9,000-10,000 policemen are required for Multan keeping the population volume in view.” He said: “We have finalised foolproof security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident and holidays of police force have been cancelled.”

Meanwhile, Multan acting SSP Operations Dr Rizwan Ahmad Khan, in a statement, said that foolproof security measures have been taken for Muharram. He said that more than 4,500 policemen and officials are discharging security duties. He said that 1,110 Qaumi Razakars and 1,750 volunteers have also been hired for security duty. All the circle police officers have been directed to ensure thorough checking of vehicles, he added.