Daily Times

LAHORE: Despite tall claims by the government and police high ups about improved service structure, low-rank policemen bemoaned long duty hours, “poor” promotion system and “lack” of medical and education allowances.

A number of police official performing duties in various parts of the city told Daily Times on Sunday that low rank police officials were not being given education or medical allowance for their families.

They said that the government on January 31 announced the utility allowance of Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 per month for officials working in the Civil Secretariat, but no such allowance was announced for those working in the Police Department.

“Even the department is not providing us uniforms, shoes, jackets, badges, sweaters and other items and we are compelled to purchase all these items,” they said, adding that those who have links in the department get uniforms and others things free of cost.

They said that facilities being provided to police officials were far less when those being provided to army men. “There is no medical or educational facility for the families of police officials and no proper residential facilities.” Even police officials at duty hours have to buy edible items such as food and water on duty hours from their own pockets”

They said that policemen were suffering usually from low motivation mainly attributed to harsh working conditions, low pay and perks, uncertainty about promotions and less time to attend to social commitments (few leaves and hectic duty hours).

Some of traffic wardens have also expressed their views that the future of traffic wardens (ASI level) is bleak. “We have no service structure and increase in salaries is not in line with the years of service and seniority, which has resulted in a state of uncertainty. At the same time accountability of the police often invites disproportionate actions even for minor mistakes.”

They went on to say that the police force to population ratio was also very low. “Loads of policemen are deployed on special duties to guard important buildings, shrines, mosques and on VIP protocol duties which increase our workload.”

Moreover, policemen deployed to secure important / sensitive installations are dropped at the duty site, but they have to arrange their own transport to go back to police station or police lines, they added.

Summarising their ordeal, they said there was no relief mechanism in place for welfare of policemen. “A police official is sanctioned 30 casual leaves in a year, which are seldom granted to him. As we are accused of harsh attitude and behaviour towards public, perhaps it is result of extra workload.”

Similarly, police officials are performing duties even on religious and social festivals and have not time to spend with families. “The department grants no special allowance for those officers who are performing duties on such festivals.”

They added, “Although there is a promotion policy, it has not been taken into account Postings or transfers of police officials are also sometimes carried out due to political pressures or vested interests of the politicians or influential stakeholders.”