Police have been implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) for almost two months and regularly reporting their achievements in curbing the threat of terrorism to the provincial authorities. But in what conditions the Rawalpindi police are carrying out the task is little known.

Soon after the launch of the 20-point NAP in the closing days of 2014, laws were amended or legislated to facilitate the fight. Thus Punjab Information of Temporary Residence Ordinance 2015 was promulgated for the police and other law enforcement agencies to gather information to keep Afghan refugees and other foreigners living in the midst of local populations under watch. The ordinance obliges owners of houses, hotels inns and guest houses to pass on to the area police, information about their tenants and guests within 48 hours of renting out the premises. They face arrest and prosecution if they don’t.

Also read: Punjab ahead of other provinces in anti-terror steps

Orders followed from the provincial Apex Committee for strict compliance of the new laws. But neither public representatives nor the district administrations educated the people about the laws, nor were separate desks created at police stations to facilitate people coming to register their tenants or seeking information about the laws.

Instead what was seen and publicised was the hunt for ‘suspect’ tenants and surveillance of clergymen to enforce the reinvigorated ban on misuse of loudspeakers at places of worship places by the police and the Special Branch – the intelligence wing of police.

On the other hand, law-abiding citizens coming to police stations to register their tenants met strange experiences and requests.

They were handed a “security survey form” by a policeman sitting in the Muharrir’s room. The form sought name of the property owner, his CNIC number, residential address, name of the tenant with CNIC number, religion, sect, number of family members and the number of employees in the case of hotel etc.

Then came the strange request from the policeman: “Before filling the form, please get eight to 10 photo copies and bring them to us with the filled form!”

Naturally, the request intrigued many seekers. “What? You don’t keep enough forms to meet the demand?”

Old and retired Muhammad Anwar, who has let out a portion of his house in Chaklala Housing Scheme III, heard the story from his 50-year-old son he had sent to the Airport Police Station to be on the right side of the law. That happened in the second week of January.

Wiser for the experience, the son submitted the completed form - along with the requested 10 photocopies - to DSP Farhan Aslam of Civil Lines circle, who called the concerned SHO and directed him to register the tenant.

After a long wait for the police response, the son again called the senior officer and reached the Airport Police Station last Thursday. The officer in charge frantically shuffled the pile of documents on his desk but couldn’t find Mr Anwar’s paper.

Know more: Pakistan crackdown on Afghan refugees amid fears of influx: report

That didn’t bother the officer in the least. He summoned a subordinate and ordered to hand another “security survey form” to the son to fill.

But the police had the heart not to ask for photocopies this time. People wonder why the authorities could not take care of such minor irritants. Or the government has no money for printing a one-page form in its grand fight against terrorism?

Published in Dawn March 9th , 2015

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