HYDERABAD, April 23: A majority of police stations in Hyderabad district is either working in rented buildings or those belonging to other government departments with the government taking no interest in providing police department their own buildings.

According to inquiries by this correspondent, non- availability of buildings has created problems for police department and often the district police management is required to shift police stations. For instance, the Qasimabad police station has so far been shifted to five places. Presently, the police station is working in a building which is located in the area of the GOR police station.

A police source said that an amenity plot had been allotted to police department for construction of a building for the Qasimabad police station. Though the police have obtained physical possession of the place but formal documentation of the land transfer has not been made.

Similarly, The Tando Yusuf and Gulshan-i-Hali police stations are working in the areas of the Husri and Site police stations, respectively. The police stations working in rented buildings include Shahpur Darpur, Tando Yousuf, Gulshan-e-Hali, Pinyari, Bhit Shah and Missan police stations whereas the Fort, Makki Shah, GOR, B-section Latifabad, Qasimabad and Pyaro Lund are housed in buildings belonging to other government departments.

The Bhanote police station was set up at such location in the riverine area that it was washed way during rains. These police stations do not have lock-ups which provides an opportunity to their staff to keep people in illegal detention in other police stations with have lock-ups in order to avoid raids by raidcommissioners appointed by sessions or high courts.

There are at least two police stations of rural areas, Missan and Pyaro Lund, whose staff has to take rest or sleep in the guest houses (autaqs) of landlords of the area. The practice makes the policemen morally bound to oblige their hosts, a police official said requesting anonymity.

DPO A. D. Khawaja said: "Is it not an irony that the issue of the Qasimabad police station has not yet been resolved although Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali had issued directives to the Sindh governor, the chief minister, the chief secretary and other concerned authorities in this regard."

The police had paid Rs00,000 to the revenue authorities for 50 acres of land in Qasimabad taluka in 1973 but they had not been given ownership rights yet. Sources said that in 1977 the plot was allotted to a housing society without informing the police. However, police got the plot vacated and now a driving license branch and the office of the Taluka Police Officer have been established there in order to keep it with police.