The government has announced major restructuring in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The Interior Ministry has approved a budget of Rs 2.436 billion to be spent in three years.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Interior Secretary Tasneem Noorani announced division of ICT police administration into two wings, ie Security Division to guard duties and Police Division to effectively maintain law and order.
Noorani said that Prime Minster Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in a federal cabinet meeting formally approved the revamping plan of ICT police last month.
Now there would be two separate SSPs to head security and investigation wing of the police, who would perform their duties under one IGP, Noorani said, adding that the prime minister has also approved formation of anti-riots force for capital to efficiently deal with the miscreants in the wake of violent protests.
He said the Law Ministry has been preparing a draft to enact the law. New force would be imparted training, which would ultimately change the police culture in Islamabad.
Islamabad is a showpiece of Pakistan and these steps were inevitable for making the ICT police exemplary.
Elaborating the salient features of the anti-riots force, Tasneem Noorani said that the staff would be selected from within the ICT police and to be given double salary package along with accommodation.
Retirement age of the 'Jawan' would be reduced and highly qualified officers would be inducted on attractive salaries, he said, adding that the commandant of the force would review the efficiency of the force after every one year.
The prime minister has approved the proposal and it would go to the Finance Ministry to decide the mode of funds released in order to materialise the revamping plan, he said.
Additional salary would be given to motivate those who intend to join fresh force, he said.
The interior secretary said that the existing strength of the ICT police is 7,206, out of which 4,217 have been deployed for the security duties of the president and prime minister, besides guarding the foreign missions in the Diplomatic Enclave.
It means that more than 61 percent of the police in the federal capital was not involved in policing, which were creating problems, he said.
To a question, the interior secretary said that we have also recommended to encourage police by giving them additional basic salary per month to at least 50 percent of the total strength.
He announced the constitution of four new police stations in Islamabad for distribution of work and reduce the burden on police force.
Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Fayyaz Khan Toru said that the Police Station Secretariat would be divided into two by creating the new police station at Shahzad Town, whereas three other stations would be established at Sabzi Mandi (I-10 sector) and two in Golra areas.
About Rs 588 million has been released for the first phase, besides the existing Rs 750 million for purchasing new vehicles, he said, adding that Rs 186 million would be disbursed for the construction of accommodation barracks.
Keeping in view the sensitivity of Islamabad, Noorani said that the government has planned to set up a bomb disposal squad and police dog training centre in the capital.
Earlier, ICT police hired the services of sniff dogs from the Pakistan Army for investigation purposes.
He said the prime minister has also approved the restructuring of FIA to stop human smuggling.
Around 18 new passport cells would be set up across the country, he added.