August 15, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 12, 1429

GUJAR KHAN, Aug 14: Political push behind the postings and transfers of police officials is impeding the chief minister’s efforts for setting up good governance at gross root level.

According to a survey conducted by Dawn almost in every police circle and police station the sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs) and station house officers (SHOs) are posted not on the basis of their performance record but on the basis of the political push by the MNAs and MPAs of the ruling coalition in the Rawalpindi region.

Gone are the days when an SHO used to be immediately suspended and sent to the police lines because a bank heist in his area, or house burglary, and highway robbery. Every day newspapers are full of the reports about the heinous crimes happening in the areas of different police stations but the higher authorities seem to be incapacitated to suspend the SHO or the SDPO of the concerned area.

The police high ups are also well aware of the ever increasing number of un-arrested target offenders, proclaimed offenders, court absconders, and other outlaws involved in crimes like murder, drug peddling and gambling but they do not dare to take to task the negligent SHO and SDPO.

Such conditions are proving extremely favourable for the crafty police officers who leave no stone unturned in currying favours of the MNAs, MPAs, ministers and request them for the posting at the police station of their choice.

The MNAs in Jhelum and Rawalpindi city are seen making bee line to the offices of the district police authorities with lists of police officials in their hands and they keep sitting there unless the competent authority issues the transfer orders ‘parvanas’ of the enlisted officials. Under such circumstances the police officials ‘got posted’ due to the efforts of their political lords continue to keep allegiance to their mentors without taking into consideration the merits of the genuine grievances of the down trodden and helpless complainants.

A poor resident of Gujar Khan the other day lodged a complaint with a regional police officer Rawalpindi that some outlaws abducted his teenaged daughter in July 2007 and the local police never bothered to register the FIR over his application that he had instantly filed with the police.

The RPO was shocked to learn about the inefficiency of the police and directed for immediate registration of the FIR. A number of incidents of bank, house and highway robbery, car lifting and snatching continue to recur in the jurisdictions of different police stations in Rawalpindi and Jhelum districts but these seem insufficient to raise the eyebrows of those at the helms and the negligent SHOs and SDPOs go scot-free.

The public and social circles on the one hand appreciate chief minister’s efforts for taking measures for ensuring good governance in the province but they also have reservations over the overwhelming influence of lawmakers in the transfers and postings of the SHOs and SDPOs.