KP Police face serious discipline issues

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police are facing serious discipline issues as serving officers have quarreled with one another in public and a number of groups have emerged with the support of one or the other senior officer.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has taken notice of a clash between Inspector Ibad Wazir and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ijaz Ahmad in front of many other officers at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines on Friday.

DSP Ijaz Ahmad in his application to the senior officers asked for departmental action and registration of a criminal case against the inspector for hurling threats at him. In his application, Inspector Ibad Wazir alleged he was implicated in an FIR by the DSP. He claimed that on the day of the incident the DSP hurled abuses at him when he told him he has been cleared by the court. The inspector was charged in an FIR in the Yakatoot Police Station where a man died in police custody.

An official said the IGP has taken notice of the incident and directed the bosses of capital city police to probe the matter and take appropriate action so that no such incident happens in future. According to Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jamilur Rehman, a committee under SSP Coordination is probing the matter. A source said that apart from clashes among officers, the administration has failed to address the issue of groupings within the force.

“Various groups have emerged in the force in recent months and are being constantly supported by some of the senior cops for their vested interest. These groups have been causing discipline issues not only in Peshawar but also in other parts of the province,” said the source. The source said senior officers backing these groups used their connections and powers to protect their blue-eyed men whenever an inquiry or action was started against them. The groups at times also put pressure on their bosses. “A former IGP had dismissed a large number of policemen, including many seniors. However, not a single officer could create any discipline issue which showed how powerful his administration was,” the source said. The source added that more problems would crop up in future if the issues of clashes between cops and groupings were not handled properly. Meanwhile, some elements have circulated various allegations against a senior police official on the social media after rumours that he is likely to assume a key position in the province.

People on the social media have levelled serious allegations against the officer in question. However, former and serving senior cops came to his support by countering the propaganda and terming it mudslinging by those with vested interests.