Punjab, finally, seemed to have found a true police leader

Rawalpindi : Punjab, finally, seemed to have found a true police leader. Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam, one of the most decorated and professionally sound police officer, enjoying an unblemished service record, recently removed from the office of the Inspector-General National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP), has been directed to take charge of the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of the Punjab province.

Indeed not a ‘bed of roses’ this office would be for him at this critical juncture when the nation is preparing to go for the general elections and the political parties have already been hollering about the ‘political intervention’ by the police department, particularly in the Punjab.

So, he would be constantly under the ‘media microscope’ on one hand while on the other he would be facing the ire of politicians for anything going wrong during the elections, indicating any involvement of the Punjab Police.

But the people who know him for a while and those from the circles he moves in, somehow has an unprecedented faith in his competence and abilities and believe that he was the best choice to fill the office at this time.

“I believe he is the right choice at this moment to lead the Punjab Police and would take decisions without any influence to uphold the image of the department,” said a senior officer of Police Service of Pakistan (PSP).

Dr Syed Kaleem Imam had served in high profile appointments nationally and internationally. He has done his PhD in Politics and International Relations, with LLM in Human Rights Law from SOAS UK, LLB and has done his Masters in Philosophy.

He shot to prominence at the beginning of his career while serving in different districts of the troubled province of Balochistan as SP Sibi and Nasirabad and SSP Quetta. He used to lead the force from the front when he launched the operation against the gangs involved in kidnapping for ransom. The operation against these gangs was most difficult one considering the conditions and terrain of Balochistan and yet he made it a big success, busting a number of infamous and dangerous gangs, recovering kidnapped person. His performance earned him top laurels as the young and daring officer and an imaginative strategist.

Later, while serving as the SSP in Rawalpindi he established the ‘Elite Force’ and again he was the ‘Leader’ and not the ‘Boss’ for his team. He, probably, was the first SSP of Rawalpindi who confronted some ‘black sheep’ in the media and refused to budge against tremendous pressure launched against him by the media at that time.

He had twice served as the SSP Islamabad, as the Deputy Director (Immigration), as the ‘Chief Security Officer’ (CSO) to the Prime Minister, as Director National Police Bureau (NPB) as well as the Inspector-General (IG) Islamabad Police. Till recently he was serving as the Inspector-General NH&MP.

He has been awarded two gallantry awards, the Quaid-i-Azam Police Medal and the President’s Police Medal besides receiving ‘Tamagha-i-Imtiaz’ for distinct service.

He represented Pakistan abroad in some of world most difficult stations as ‘Commissioner’ in Darfur, Sudan where he was conferred with three UN peace medals.

He has also remained PTF president and is presently Vice president of police service of Pakistan Association.

He is rated as top police professional blending competence, integrity, with team work, and takes initiative, and is known as an important member of the ‘police think tank’.