Islamabad police to launch programme for addressing public issues

Islamabad: The Islamabad Police has decided to start a Community Engagement Programme (Raabta) to enhance liaison with people from various walks of life and effectively resolve their issues after approaching them. Following the directions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Qazi Jamil ur Rehman, a comprehensive program has been chalked out to approach the public, understand their issues related to police and resolve them on an immediate basis. As per the plan, all police officials would conduct meetings with the general public, religious scholars, traders, minority members, administrators of Masajid while interactions would be made with students of educational institutions, seminaries, and members of Public Conciliatory Committees (PCCs). The feedback on police-related matters would be noted and issues would be resolved through mutual cooperation, police said. Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations), Zonal Superintendent of Police, Sub-Divisional Police Officers would regularly conduct these meetings while media and representatives of Bar Associations would be also engaged by these police officials. Police officials would visit mosques at prayers timings especially of Friday prayers for productive and useful interactions with people. The visiting officers would articulate their views succinctly but comprehensively before the audience and ensure people resolve police-related issues through their cooperation. To make all these interactions result-oriented, all the meetings would be recorded and comprehensive minutes to be issued. The police spokesman said the purpose of all such meetings is to engage the public, understand their problems, and resolve them. AIG (Operations) will follow up on all the decisions made in these meetings and ensure compliance by all subordinate offices. A detailed report of all such meetings will be submitted to the Central Police Office, Islamabad on the 5th of every month. These meetings would provide an opportunity to cultivate a partnership with law-abiding and peaceful citizens. All out efforts would be made to engage people from all walks of life and serious efforts to be ensured to resolve their issues as promptly as possible. The IGP Islamabad Qazi Jamil ur Rehman and DIG (Operations) Afzaal Ahmed Kausar has emphasized the need to enhance coordination with people and ensure community engagement as the essence of modern policing. Such interactions identify and solve community problems, helps crime control, and bridges the gap between community and police. Community policing also breaks down the barriers of apathy and distrust between police and the community. Reinvigorating the general public and different segments of society helps Police to achieve its primary objectives; crime prevention, detection, and maintenance of law & order.