LAHORE: Credible and dutiful officers and officials are the pride of any department who not only ensure safety of properties and lives of public efficiently but also set a bright precedent for other force personnel. Inspector General of Police Punjab Captain (r) Arif Nawaz Khan expressed these views while addressing the prize distribution ceremony of officers and officials who showed best performance in different districts of Punjab on Friday. He further said that punishments and rewards hold a vital position in the police department. There is a system of punishments and accountability that commit negligence and carelessness in their duties, at the same time officers and officials are encouraged who fight against thieves, dacoits and anti social elements of society with bravery and valour. During the ceremony, R&D Deputy Inspector General Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir, Headquarters DIG Shahzada Sultan, AIG Operations Imran Mahmood, SP Legal Qamaruz Zaman and Abdul Hameed Bhatti have been awarded appreciation certificates for devising the draft of police rules in the light of Police Ordinance 2002 while 89 officers and officials from Sheikhupura, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Khushab, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Mandi Bahuddin and Rahimyar Khan were awarded appreciation certificates and cash prizes amounting to Rs 3,425,000. IG Punjab applauded the officers and officials while giving them rewards and said that they are the pride of police force that fought against anti social elements during their duties and other officers and officials should follow them too. He, moreover, hoped that dutiful, brave and bold officers and officials shall be observing the same spirit for safety of properties and lives of public in future also. He said that the tradition of rewarding and encouraging officers and officials for their best performance is significant and more than 90 million cash prizes with certificates have been awarded to 1,070 officers and officials from December 2014 to up until now. He added that Punjab police is a professional and disciplined force which has made progress in recent years and instructions have been issued to district police officers for encouragement of personnel who performed well during their duties. In addition to it, he said that these ceremonies cause an increase in the morale of force therefore, such ceremonies shall be conducted both at central and district level. Published in Daily Times, May 5th 2018.