March 30, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 10, 1428

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LAHORE, March 29: The Punjab home secretary informed the Lahore High Court on Thursday that a blueprint for the implementation of the Police Order 2002 throughout the province had been prepared.

“Its implementation will be visible within this week,” he told a full bench hearing the murder case of additional advocate general Arif Bhindar.

During the previous hearings, the bench had raised the issue of law and order in Lahore and elsewhere in Punjab. It had directed the provincial government to make all appointments and postings in police in accordance with the Police Order, 2002.

The bench observed on Thursday that promotions in police department were being made on the basis of favouritism.

“If the practice continues, there is a likelihood that officers to the rank of DSP will be also appointed as district police officers (DPOs),” observed the court.

The bench said on one hand a police officer was given additional charge of neighbouring districts, but on the other several officers were working as OSDs. It noted that nothing had been done except for some paperwork to implement the police order despite a number of court directions in this regard during the last three months.

The bench comprises Justice Muhammad Muzammal Khan, Justice M Bilal Khan and Justice Syed Shabbar Raza Rizvi. It directed the authorities to appoint appropriate and eligible people in the police department.

Earlier, the bench expressed its dissatisfaction with the progress made in the murder case.

Lahore police chief Malik Muhammad Iqbal informed the bench that street crime had reduced in the recent past, and submitted official statistics to support his claim.

The court asked the city police chief to make his team to put in more efforts to eliminate the crime, and keep the court posted about the latest position.

Lahore High Court Bar Association president Ahsen Bhoon submitted that the police were arresting people other than the nominated accused in the murder of Mr Bhindar. He said none of the nominated accused had been arrested in the case of Niaz Sindhu, another lawyer murdered the same day Mr Bhindar was shot dead.

He said the Anti-Terrorism Court had ordered the police to arrest the nominated culprits as there was ample material pointing to their involvement in the murder. But, he added, the police had ignored the ATC order and instead prepared a new challan to save the accused, an MPA and two of his brothers.

The bench directed the Punjab Prosecutor General and prosecutor for anti-terrorism courts to appear in person on the next hearing with record of both murder cases. They were also directed to explain their role in this regard.

The bench directed the police to inform the court about the arrest of the accused within 15 days, and after that no extra time would be given for the purpose.

The bench adjourned the hearing till April 12.