February 4, 2003	Tuesday	Zul Hijjah 2,1423

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MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 3: AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan’s directives regarding steps to meet the requirements of the special branch have not been implemented by the relevant government departments despite the passage of almost seven months, Dawn has learnt.

The special branch is facing acute shortage of staff and other resources which have not been enhanced since its creation more than 17 years ago, the sources said.

Azad Kashmir used to have a ‘surveillance staff’ since 1958, which was reorganized and named AJK special branch in 1985. Through a notification on Dec 3, 1985, 51 posts — one superintendent of police, one deputy superintendent of police, four inspectors, six sub-inspectors, 16 assistant sub-inspectors, 10 head constables and 13 constables - were created for it.

Sources said that in December, 2001, the AJK inspector-general of police asked the home and finance departments to take up the needs of the branch with the Kashmir and Northern Areas (Kana) division, which provided the budget for it.

The IG had demanded 161 additional posts to meet the deficiency of staff besides the necessary equipment, but the finance department agreed for only 110 posts and sent a letter to the division in January last year for provision of funds to the tune of Rs18.017 million, sources said.

During the period, an AJK police team led by deputy inspector-general (headquarters) twice met the federal government functionaries concerned, but the file kept on shuttling between the Kana and finance divisions, sources said.

“Over the past 12 months there has been zero progress on the case mainly due to indifference of the AJK home and finance departments as well as the Kana and finance divisions towards pursuing it,” sources alleged.

When the prime minister was informed of the situation in June last year, he remarked on a summary prepared by the SP of special branch that “the needs of the special branch will have to be taken care of, and this becomes all the more important in view of the prevailing situation in the country.”

“Therefore, these needs should be met,” directed the premier on the summary, which was forwarded by his office to the AJK home secretary for necessary action. However, instead of directing the finance department to do the needful in this regard, the home department referred the summary back to the IG, who had initiated the move for the funds, sources said.