RAWALPINDI: Posts for riverine police were established to stop smugglers and other criminals from moving along rivers. However, the government has failed to equip the riverine police with arms, ammunition and equipment.

According to a report submitted to the additional inspector general (AIG) of the Punjab highway police, the riverine posts of the highway patrol were equipped with motorboats to keep an effective check on interprovincial movement of criminals. However, the boats remain dysfunctional because of the lack of fuel and attention towards maintenance.

A police official, requesting anonymity, said the AIG expressed concern over the lack of ammunition available for the police deployed at the riverine posts. The AIG noted that the riverine police were ill-equipped to deal with any untoward situation. Since the posts are located at isolated spots, the police personnel deployed there are only provided 100 to 200 rounds for semi-machineguns and G-III rifles. However, keeping the prevailing security situation in mind, the AIG directed the police to provide 500 rounds to each police personnel deployed at the riverine posts.

Retired servicemen and regular police had been deployed at these posts, each of which was equipped with a motorboat, two motorcycles and a car.

According to police sources, it was discovered that most vehicles given to the riverine police were not being used by the staff deployed at the posts. Senior officials were also informed that retired servicemen deployed to the riverine police were being given other duties to perform and the riverine posts were being neglected.

Moreover, a large number of retired servicemen were being given these duties without approval from concerned authorities, an official added.

The official said the construction quality of the riverine post was also a cause of concern for the AIG as he was told that poor quality materials had been used. The AIG directed the concerned district police officials to initiate a case in the Anti-Corruption Establishment against those responsible for the construction.

The AIG was also informed that the riverine police post located in district Attock had been named Shadi Khan police post but the Shadi Khan village was located across the river in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Another official, requesting anonymity, said senior officers were considering renaming all the riverine posts according to their location to avoid any confusion. The official added that some posts might also be relocated.

The AIG directed all senior superintendents of police to visit the riverine posts in their areas to ascertain the actual situation of arms, ammunition, deployment and vehicles.

The government has also been considering setting up joint checkpoints manned by police and Rangers at all major provincial crossing points to keep a check on the inter-provincial movement of terrorists and other criminal elements.

Published in Dawn March 24th, 2015

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