KARACHI, Aug 20: A police force, having a strength of 1,319 officials, is being raised for manning three police stations and 25 posts at Sindh-Balochistan border in Jacobabad district to check activities of criminals and to maintain law and order.

The sanctioned posts of officials and men include 28 SIs, 37 ASIs, 136 head constables, 112 wireless operators of head constable rank and 1,006 constables. The written test of the candidates has been conducted for appointment by the recruitment committee constituted by provincial police officer, Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui said in a written answer to a question by Ms Humaira Alwani in Sindh assembly session on Friday.

He said that Rs97.321 million have been allocated for this purpose in the current year budget. To another question by the same member, the minister said that a joint operation and investigation police force has been established in Sanghar and Shikarpur districts to achieve performance of system under District Police Officer on an experimental basis.

The minister in his written answer stated that due to general hue and cry over dissatisfactory performance of independent investigation branch, it was placed under DPO operation on an experimental basis from Feb 2, 2003, to Sept 15, 2003.

The experience proved satisfactory and showed an improvement in preventive action, recovery of illicit arms, recovery of narcotics, arrest of absconders and proclaimed offenders and action against bandits, he informed. -PPI