Cop to resign after being ‘disgraced’ by officer

LAHORE: A trainee sub-inspector announced resigning from his job in Punjab Police after his officer allegedly hurled abuses at him in his office.

Trainee Sub-Inspector (T/SI) Naveed Abdul Majeed has alleged that an SP hurled abuses at him in the presence of his staff in his office. Frustrated by the behaviour, he announced resigning from the job.

He described the reason behind the abusive behaviour of the SP in an official report. He stated that he had appeared before him for a case. The officer listened to his conversation patiently. “Afterwards, he suddenly burst out with abuses on him in the presence of an inspector," he added. “I listened to the abuses patiently”, he said.

"I left the office on the orders of the SP. I contemplated for two hours in a park outside the SP’s office to point out the reason behind the abusive treatment. After thorough contemplation, I came to know that I am a trainee sub-inspector and this is his only fault," he added.

“I returned to the office and requested to reappear before the SP. He accepted his mistake and told me that he was an SP and God has awarded him the position. I told him he is competent to misbehave with me but requested not to abuse someone else because it is hard for people like him," he said. He said it seemed hard for him to survive in the police department. He expressed his resolve to tender resignation.

The SP was contacted for comments but he did not respond. Meanwhile, an audio tape has surfaced in which a Station House Officer (SHO) is abusing his subordinates for not responding to his calls. During the conversation, the officials tried to explain that they did not receive his call. The SHO paid no heed to their explanation and hurled more abuses at them.

The SP's treatment has invited the wrath of lower cadre police officials on social media. An official said that the government had changed but the system remained the same. Another said that when they will get rid of these “black colonisers (Kalay Farangi)”. Another said that blue-eyed officers of the previous governments were still exploiting their subordinates. They were enjoying picnics in Murree and Kashmir using police stations and investigations wing’s fuel. They were involved in debauchery on force’s welfare fund. A citizen said that the system can only be reformed after the start of the accountability of officers above grade 18.

Few months back, an SP had beaten up an SHO. The SP had also reportedly misbehaved with a DSP. He was also involved in land-grabbing in an inquiry. The officer has served two important divisions of Lahore for over a year.

Naveed Abdul Majeed was strong enough to bear the treatment and react in the form of resignation only. There have been dozens of incidents in which officials were so depressed due to the ill-treatment of officers that they committed suicide. In 2018, ASI Imtiaz, who was reportedly admonished by his high-ups over a request for leave, committed suicide in Lahore. In 2015, ASI Azeem Akhter, appointed at Defence-A Police Station, had shot himself dead after being humiliated by an SP. An ASI appointed at Liberty facilitation centre had also committed suicide.