RAWALPINDI: Following the death of police personnel in recent encounters with terrorists in Punjab, the inspector general of police (IGP) has directed district police chiefs across the province to be fully prepared before initiating an encounter.

In a letter to the regional police officers (RPOs) and the district police chiefs (DPOs) across Punjab, IGP Mushtaq Sukhera requested that they ensure their safety before launching raids against criminals, after one security official was killed and several others injured following a recent police raid on a suspected terrorist hideout in Vehari last month.

The IGP, who was concerned about the loss of lives of police officials in encounters against terrorists, also said that the raiding party must be led by a superintendent of police (SP).

Police sources said, according to the IGP’s directions, police officials must outline a plan and be equipped with bulletproof jackets and helmets before launching raids to minimise police casualties. He also expressed his concern over the loss of morale in the police force and said that the standard operation procedure (SOP) regarding safety of law enforcement officials must be upheld.

Directives follow the death of police personnel in a raid on a suspected terrorist hideout

A senior police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that a police official was killed in a raid in Vehari carried out by the Punjab police, with little preparation or planning.

The official said that, according to the SOP, a police raid conducted on militant hideouts or criminal dens must be accompanied by Elite Force commandos, who possess military training and bulletproof jackets and helmets.

“But usually the police do not follow the SOP when such raids are conducted. One reason is the occupancy of the Elite Force, and the other is that it takes more than an hour to call in the Elite Force because they are always engaged,” he said, adding that the police force cannot adequately prepare itself given the limited time. He said that, although one security official was also killed and several others injured in a recent raid on a suspected hideout in Raiwind, the raid was well-planned.

“Whenever a face-to-face encounter takes place, the risk of fatalities increases. And the same happened in Raiwind. However, the police raid was well-planned and was successful,” he said.

He also recalled a police raid conducted in Bahawalnagar a few years ago, in which a police official was killed because the raid was ill-planned and the participants were in plain-clothes. At that time, the then-IGP had passed the same directives, which had been largely ignored by the police force.

The IGP’s directives were sent to the RPO Rawalpindi, as well as the DPOs of Attack, Jhelum and Chakwal, on Friday. In the light of IGP’s directives, the RPO Rawalpindi Akhtar Omer Hayat Laleka has directed the police to strictly follow the SOP while going on search operations – especially in the outskirts of Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, July 21st , 2014