Daily Times

KARACHI: Deprived of young blood, the police stations in the city continuously lack modern skills, interrogations techniques and training as the concentration of Sindh Government and officials of Sindh police remains completely focused on strengthening Counter Terrorism-Department and other specialized Units or Cells of police.

Average age of police personnel posted in police stations across Sindh including Karachi has crossed forty-five years, a senior police official told Daily Times.

“We have recommended to IGP Sindh AD Khawaja to inject new recruits in the police station because at end of the day police officials and Home Ministry demand results as far as law and order situation is concerned from district and police stations” the official further explained.

During last two years Sindh Government has appointed nearly 12000 new policemen but the majority of the new recruits were moved to Counter Terrorism-Department (CTD), Specialized Investigation Unit (SIU), Rapid Response Force (RRF), Security Zones and other units and cells, depriving the police station of new recruits.

“Police personnel in police stations were appointed in 1980s and 1990s, they were trained during that period and they are accustomed to old methods of policing and now they are at the age where they can not be as up to the mark as a fresh and young blood can be to tackle the modern days crimes and criminals”, the official observed.

It is also worth mentioning that units and cells of investigation police work on specific tasks like terrorism and other heinous crimes but the task for the police posted in police station remains vast and they have to implement all the sections of Pakistan Panel Codes and constitution of Pakistan.

“One can understand this situation with one simple example”, an officials said adding that “young and active police personnel with all modern skills and commando training are deputed for the security of VVIPs, VIPs, and for other police officials and political personalities and remaining over-aged inactive policemen are left for the security of common citizens”.

He further said that if a CTD official successfully manages to produce desired results by using fresh employees then a SHO or DSP of any area can also produce better results but they are left with no result oriented human resource”.

With all the resources and skills officials of CTD and other investigative units are considered to be utilized for special tasks given by high officials. The situation is tantamount to push district police to the wall where their moral is also badly impaired.

Complains of misbehavior by police officials posted as duty-officers, Head-Muherer are common among the masses especially when people go to the police station to report any event.

Likewise, investigation police in police stations have no refresh courses and modern days’ investigation techniques which sometimes leads to ruin the cases completely, an investigation officer said while sharing his observations.

Published in Daily Times, July 10^th , 2017.