DIG Amir Farooqi orders demolition of illegal police posts in East Range

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Amir Farooqi of the East Range police, voicing concerns about the presence of many unsanctioned 31 police posts in East Range, has ordered their immediate demolition.

Official sources said DIG Farooqi had received complaints from various circles that some officials of his department were involved in corrupt practices and were using illegal check posts established in different police stations’ jurisdictions.

DIG Farooqi assigned his subordinates to compile a list of check points which were being allegedly used by corrupt officials for bribery or torture. During the process, it was found that about 31 police posts had been established throughout the East Range by senior superintendents of police (SSPs), superintendents of police (SPs) or deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) without taking approval from the relevant superior authorities.

DIG Farooqi has issued directives to his subordinates to immediately demolishing the posts and submit a report to his office at the earliest.

As per the order, “The following non-sanctioned police posts/pickets of East Range Karachi are hereby abolished with immediate effect. Area will be manned through routine patrolling. In future, there will be no permanent police posts or pickets which are not sanctioned.

“Posts and pickets should be demolished immediately. Officers and men working at their posts/pickets should be merged with the total force of the respective police stations.”

The DIG order names the unsanctioned posts as Ghulam Rasool Shaheed Dalmian Police Post, Aziz Bhatti Police Station; Shaheed Mahar Ali KDA Gulshan-e-Iqbal Police Post, Aziz Bhatti Police Station; Raja Arshad Shaheed Shanti Nagar Police Post, Aziz Bhatti Police Station; Dar-ul-Sehat Police Post, Sharea Faisal Police Station; Hussain Hazara Goth Police Post, Gulistan-e-Jauhar Police Station; Liberty Chowki Police Post, Ferozeabad Police Station; Ambala Sweet Police Post, Tipu Sultan Police Station; Ashraf ul Madaris Police Post, Sharea Faisal Police Station; Tasveer Mehal Police Post, Zaman Town Police Station; Qayyumabad Police Post, K.I.A. Police Station; Khadi Police Post, Korangi Police Station; Bilal Colony Police Post, K.I.A. Police Station; "R" Area Police Post, Korangi Police Station; New Sabzi Mandi Police Post, SITE Super Highway Ind. Police Station; AL-Asif Square Police Post, Sohrab Goth Police Station; Abbas Town Police Post, Sachal Police Station; Bhitaiabad Police Post, Sachal Police Station; Khuldabad Police Post, Shah Latif Police Station; Bhitai Colony Police Post, Ibrahim Hyderi Police Station; Naseerabad Police Post, Bin Qasim Police Station; Afghan Camp Police Post, Gulshan-e-Maymar Police Station; and Kathor Police Post, Gadap City Police Station;

Other check posts were 9. Kilometre Police Post, Steel Town Police Station; Rehri Goth Police Post, Sukhan Police Station; Fishries Police Post, Ibrahim Hyderi Police Station; Ayub Goth Police Post, Sohrab Goth Police Station; Ahsanabad Police Post, SITE Superhighway Ind. Police Station; Northern Bypass Police Post, SITE Superhighway Ind. Police Station; Gadap City Police Post, Gadap City Police Station; Darsano Channa Police Post, Memon Goth Police Station; and Bahria Town Police Post, Gadap City Police Station.

The DIG order said: “Compliance report may please be furnished to this office by return post.” Official sources said this was a very bold step taken up by DIG Farooqi; however, there were several other unsanctioned police posts in the city, especially in South and West ranges, which were known for kidnappings, torture and bribery, of which the relevant authorities should take notice and order their demolition.

Earlier, Prime Minister, Imran Khan had directed rationalising the number of check posts of the anti-smuggling agencies, particularly those along the Karachi-Torkham and Karachi-Chaman highways and converting most of them into multi-agency common check posts in view of their widespread corrupt practices.

The prime minister had taken action following a large number of complaints of corruption, including rent- seeking, against the police, excise, customs, Rangers, FC and Coast Guards check posts from goods transporters plying on the national highways, particularly along the Karachi-Torkham and Karachi-Chaman routes.

Khan had warned the chief secretaries and relevant IGPS and DGs of stern action for failure to take corrective and disciplinary action against errant officers.

In the written directive under the head of “Corrupt Practices at the Check Posts”, it was said this extortion in the garb of law enforcement and checking for narcotics is creating inconvenience for the public and increasing the cost of transportation and doing business.

The letter said the scale of “illegal gratification” proved it was either connivance of the supervisory regime which called into question their discipline. It also raised the apprehension that “the money so collected through illegal means is shared with upper hierarchy at different levels”.