Swati’s proposal to abolish Railways Police opposed

LAHORE : Inspector General of Pakistan Railways Police Capt (retd) Arif Nawaz Khan has opposed Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati’s proposal to abolish Pakistan Railways Police (PRP) and termed it dangerous.

Azam Khan Swati had wanted to abolish Railways Police. Talking to The News, Arif Nawaz Khan said that he opposed the abolition of Railway Police during his meeting with Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati. He said he told the minister that practically it would not be possible for the Railways minister to talk and get information from the inspectors general of four provinces and Islamabad. Now the minister talks to only one IG of Railways Police to get all information with regard to Railways Police. Furthermore, it would be very difficult for him to talk to the SPs and DPOs of 154 districts, said Arif Nawaz. Coordination and management would not be better in that situation, he said. Moreover, different parties are ruling in different provinces of the country. “It would be difficult for the PTI’s federal minister to talk with the IG of Sindh province,” said Arif Nawaz Khan.

Meanwhile, he said it was not possible to check the luggage of all passengers travelling by trains as there is shortage of human resource and equipment. The government had purchased 10 scanners out of which seven are not working, he stated, adding luggage of the passengers could not be scanned with the help of mere three scanners. The Railways Police IG said the salaries of Railway Police officials must be increased. He said he had written a letter to the ministry for that. He said a constable in Railways Police was withdrawing salary of Rs23,000 while the a constable in Punjab Police was getting Rs46,000. He said this huge disparity must be ended. He said there was also disparity in scales/grades of Railways police and provincial police.

Owing to unavailability of resources and incentives, no official from ranks of constable to DIG wants to serve in Railways Police. He said a DIG was getting Rs350,000 in Punjab Police while DIG in Railways was getting Rs200,000. Railways Police have been given the role of anti-corruption force. In the last five years, no SP could unearth corruption of any Railways DS because the DSs write ACRs of SPs of Railways Police. In such situation how an SP could unearth corruption by a DS, questioned the Railways Police IG.

There is issued of human resources as there is a ban on recruitment in Railway Police. He said at least 32 Railways Police officials had sacrificed their lives, with the recent martyrdom of two police officials in Dharki train accident. Thirty-one vacancies out 40 vacancies of bomb disposal staff are vacant Pakistan Railways Police. “We are working with nine officials of bomb disposal staff. If we get information regarding terrorist activity, we have to seek help from the provincial counter-terrorism departments, said Arif Nawaz Khan.

As it is yet to be decided whether Army, Rangers, provincial police or Railway Police will provide security to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Owing to this confusion, the authority to provide security to CPEC has still not decided, which also delayed spending of mandatory one per cent of the budget, mentioned in the PC-1 of the security of CPEC, said Arif Nawaz Khan.