Inspector General of Police Punjab Zia-ul-Hassan has said that more 232 highway police posts would be set up till June 2006 in different parts of the province while a total of 135 posts are already operating. Special measures are being taken for the safety and security of important installations like Sui Gas pipelines, Oil pipelines, etc.
During the inspection of new training school for policemen in Multan on Tuesday the IGP said that Investigation Wing was being reorganised on scientific lines and another 6, 000 new recruitments would be made to improve its performance.
New vehicles are being purchased to equip this wing with all facilities and Rs 3 billion have been allocated for this purpose.
The IGP assured that Police would not be used for political purpose and we are striving hard to change the "Thana " culture and to end the torture and abusive language at police station. He said that custodial deaths would not be tolerated and stern action would be taken against the responsible persons.
He said that new staff and vehicles would be provided to the Investigation Wing to ensure quick disposal of cases. And to minimise the complaints of partiality of investigating officer. In past, Police official used the vehicles on influential people and this practice dishearten the victims. IGP Hassan said that records of all police stations in the province would be computerised within one and a half-year and a pilot project had already been initiated in Kasur.
The police department has received another consignment of 600 computers and records of police stations of 10 districts including some districts of Southern Punjab, which would be computerised after Eidul Fitr, he added.
"Measures are being taken to improve the efficiency of police under the chief minister's Mehfooz Punjab Programme. Well-qualified police officials have been appointed in reporting centres to provide a better atmosphere for the public in police stations," he said. He said that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi wanted to make Punjab an ideal crime free and secure province and he had launched a "Mehfooz Punjab Programme," while Rs 8 billion rupees were being spent exclusively on the highway patrolling posts.
He said that measures were being taken to check kidnappings for ransom and to bring down the crime rate in Punjab.
He disclosed that a joint operation would be launched in Barkhan and Rakhni areas of Balochistan and DG Khan to crack the Bosan gang.
Earlier, IGP Hassan inspected the Police Lines School and expressed his satisfaction over its performance. IGP reviewed the law and order situation in Multan range at a meeting attended by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Multan Malik Muhammad Iqbal, DPOs of Lodhran, Multan, Khanewal, Pakpattan, Sahiwal and Vehari.