Police ban use of cellphone while on duty

Ag Agency

LAHORE: The Punjab police on Monday banned the use of cellphones by officers while on duty and barred them from capturing videos of other police personnel on duty. The ban comes after several cases emerged in recent days of suspects dying in the custody of Punjab police due to an alleged torture.

A communiqué sent to all Punjab police officers by the additional inspector general of Punjab police on behalf of Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz Khan has stated that it had been observed that police officials were using mobile phones while on duty even though clear directions in this regard have already been conveyed to all field formations.

Frequent violations of these directions SOPs reflect badly on the performance of supervising officers, it said stressing that it was the responsibility of the field formations to get the instructions implemented in letter and spirit.

In future no officer below the rank of SHO (Station House Officer) or in-charge of a deployed duty will use cellphone while on duty, the letter decreed. It also said that it was strictly forbidden to make a video of police officers on duty or upload a video of police officers, performing their duty.

Any violations of the order will entail severe departmental action against theofficial involved and his supervisory officer, it added A letter has been issued in this regard to CCPO, RPOs and DPOs directing to take strict actions against the violators. Meanwhile, according to a private TV channel Rawalpindi police banned the visitors to bring mobile phones in the police stations after police torture videos were leaked.

According to the directives only SHO and Muharrar will be able to use cellphones inside the police stations and the visitors will have to submit their devices at the main gate. Punjab IG Arif Nawaz Khan said prohibition of mobile phone use during duty hours is only for police officials so that police officials can perform their duties with better concentration for the security of citizens and this ban does not apply on media representatives and general public. He expressed these views while talking to the media after reviewing security arrangements of Muharram 9 procession.