New IG orders crackdown on criminals

LAHORE: Inspector General of Police Punjab Captain (Retd) Arif Nawaz Khan has directed officers to compile lists of habitual and professional criminals and launch a massive crackdown against them from August 1.

He was addressing  officers via video link at a conference held at the Central Police Office here on Friday. All RPOs and DPOs participated in the conference through video link. Addl: IGP I & V, Ejaz Hussain Shah, Addl: IGP Welfare and Finance, Shoaib Dastigir, Addl: IGP Investigation Punjab, Azhar Hameed Khokhar, Addl: IGP Operations Punjab, Mohsin Hassan Butt,  DIG Headquarters Punjab, B.A. Nasir, DIG IT, Humayun Bashir Tarar, DIG discipline & Inspection Shahzada Sultan, AIG Operation, Waqar Ahmad Abassi and other senior officers attended the conference.

 The IG directed the officers to carefully compile the lists of criminals and clamp down on them to ensure that they could not disturb peace  in the province. “I shall personally monitor the campaign against criminals,” he added.

This crackdown, particularly aimed at eradication of street crime and criminals in Punjab, he said must be based on proper analysis regarding nature of crime, timing and modus operandi of the criminals. He urged the RPOs and DPOs to improve efficacy linked to random snap checking, picketing and patrolling at every level. “There must be absolute coordination and efficiency in the crackdowns at every level,” he reiterated.

Arif Nawaz said the measures must be further complimented with foolproof investigations against those nominated in crime-related cases so that actual culprits could not go scot-free. He said that there was no place in the department for the policemen involved in crimes and patronising criminals. “Such police officers and officials particularly DSPs and SHOs would be taken to task,” he warned.

the IG directed the DPOs to ensure contact with the force members in all districts and visit the Police Lines on weekly basis. He directed the officers to further improve facilities being given to the force members. He said that Elite Force was a specialized force and it should not be used without any purpose. Arif Nawaz directed to pay attention to IT projects and Front Desks in all districts as modern policing was not possible without using technology in the current era of development.

He directed the officers to take all possible measures to protect the rights of women and children, personally look into the cases of violence against them and solve their cases on priority basis and merit. No negligence in this regard would be tolerated, he warned. He directed the RPOs and DPOs to conduct search, sweep and combing operations in their respective jurisdiction, tighten monitoring system at inter-provincial check posts, increase police patrolling in sensitive areas, make checking at entry and exit points more effective and use modern technology to trace and round up the criminals.

The IG directed the RPOs and DPOs to arrange refresher courses for cops to improve their skills and make them public friendly besides holding special training for them in connection with investigation and community policing. He directed the RPOs and DPOs to personally look into the problems and cases pertaining to the force welfare without any delay.

Lauding the sacrifices of the martyrs, the IGP vowed that they would make all out efforts to solve the problems of their families. He directed the RPOs and DPOs to award punishments to officials in the light of their offence. He said that if any DPO wanted to establish more police stations or kiosks in his jurisdiction, he could send his recommendations to the Central Police Office so that such schemes/ plans could be included in the development projects. Arif Nawaz said that he would visit the Divisional Headquarters and inspect the police stations and offices.      

 Meanwhile, the IG has appointed Capt (r) SSP Sajjad Hassan Khan Manj as his Personal Staff Officer (PSO) with immediate effect on Friday. He was serving as AIG Inspection CPO Punjab, Lahore.