RAWALPINDI, April 7: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday said the government was taking steps to change the basic character of police department.

Talking to members of the provincial assembly from Rawalpindi division, senior government officers and provincial ministers, the chief minister said changes would be made in the police system to make it a provider of justice. The police will be made public service-oriented, he added.

It may be recalled that the chief minister during another meeting with MPAs had told them that the district police officers had been asked to coordinate law and order affairs with the MPAs of their respective areas.

The chief minister told the MPAs that the police department was being strengthened with the provision of vehicles, modern equipment and paraphernalia. Mr Elahi said it was now up to the police department to deliver. "The police would have to bring down crime rate and improve law and order situation," he said.

Speaking about the proposed improvement in the education sector, he said the Punjab Education Foundation was being reorganized to make it more efficient for promotion of education. Legislation regarding reorganization of the foundation, he said, would be introduced shortly in the assembly.