October 04, 2006	Wednesday	Ramazan 10, 1427

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LAHORE, Oct 3: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday ordered revamping of the criminal intelligence system in Punjab, asking the police authorities to prepare complete record of outlaws in the province to help check their involvement in crime again.

The chief minister was presiding over a meeting of all DIGs and district police officers here at his secretariat. Law Minister Basharat Raja, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, Home Secretary Khusro Pervaiz, IGP Ziaul Hasan and other senior officials concerned were also present.

Official sources said the chief minister sought strengthening of the criminal intelligence system, and said only efficient officers would be posted in this department.

He said the intelligence officers would be given modern gadgets, enabling them to track down criminals. The record, to be prepared at the provincial level, would also contain the photographs of criminals, he said. Such record would be provided to all districts and other provinces to limit the movement of outlaws.

The meeting was told the capacity of the computerised number plate system, recently inaugurated by the chief minister, would also be expanded and linked to the police trekking system.

Specialised computer chips would soon be installed on the windscreens of all vehicles to help check their movement during and after any crime.

The chief minister said the outlaws involved in heinous crime like dacoity and kidnap for ransom should be closely watched after their release from jails.

He took a serious notice of the kidnap for ransom incidents in which such outlaws were involved who had already been nabbed for the crime.

Commission of crime by criminals after their release on bail or completion of their jail term was a challenge for the police, and it was its basic duty to prevent such occurrences, he said.

The chief minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the working of roadside pickets. He said the traditional and permanent pickets had not proved effective in nabbing criminals. The pickets should work on a scientific basis and their venues must be changed frequently so as to save law-abiding citizens from undue hassle.

He deplored the fact that the close-circuit cameras installed in Lahore’s Liberty Market were not functioning when a bomb exploded there last month. He directed the police officials concerned to monitor operations of such cameras wherever they had been installed and keep them operational round the clock.

The chief minister said the basic aim of providing huge funds to police was to protect the lives and property of people and ensure peace in the province. Therefore, he said, the police officers should ensure effective and right use of all resources, including official vehicles. He said the vehicles and motorcycles provided by the government should reach the lowest tiers of the police department.

He criticised the harsh treatment meted out to the people by some police officers in open kutcheries, and said this was unbecoming. More and more open kutcheries should be held and police officers should cultivate a spirit of receiving complaints about the department with an open heart, he said. Police’s image could not be improved without an improvement in officers’ behaviour with people, he said.

The chief minister was also critical of the working of the recently-introduced Mohafiz police. He said the new force should be given proper wireless sets instead of the walkie-talkies so that they could effectively chase criminals.

The law minister asked all DPOs to make crime-control plans for their respective districts in consultation with the nazims concerned.

The IGP informed the chief minister that the police held 158 encounters with criminal gangs from January to August this year. As a result, 15 police officers and jawans were killed and another 42 injured. He said as many as 131 criminals were also killed in these encounters, while 39 were injured and 118 were arrested. The chief minister directed the IGP to properly look after their families and give them financial assistance without any delay.

The chief minister ordered stern action against those fanning sectarianism and misusing loudspeakers.

He asked all DPO to fully assist price magistrates in keeping prices of essential items under control in the districts.