RAWALPINDI: On Jhelum Road, not far from the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi complex, an abandoned police checkpost has become a nuisance for motorists, especially at night.

The checkpost was established by the Morgah police a few months ago as a part of the tightened security in the area. However, due to the shortage of manpower, the police later withdrew its personnel from the checkpost leaving the concrete blocks, sandbags and iron barriers without any lighting arrangements on the road that are causing accidents especially at night.

“Due to the shortage of police personnel, the checkpoint was closed a couple of weeks ago,” the station house officer (SHO) of Morgah, Malik Kausar, told Dawn.

He said the checkpoint was closed in the light of the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the inspector general of the police for self-security. The SOP stated that not less than six personnel should be deployed at a checkpoint.

Similarly, no less than five police personnel should be assigned on mobile patrolling. Since the SOP was issued, the police had no other option buy to close the checkpoint because of the shortage of manpower, he added.

Residents of the area said despite the withdrawal of the police from the checkpoint, the concrete blocks, iron barriers and sandbags were still lying on the road without any safety measures which can cause any major traffic accident, especially at night.

Minor accidents have become routine at the spot because the concrete blocks are not visible at night and no traffic warden is there to guide the motorists.

A number of motorists said neither safety measures were being taken to avert any major accident nor the concrete blocks were being removed from the spot. It may be mentioned that some citizens also question the utility of the checkposts on roads and say these are only causing inconvenience to motorists.

“How many criminals or terrorists have been caught by the police at the checkpoints established as a part of the tightened security,” said a senior citizen.

But Malik Kausar, the SHO Morgah, was of the view that the checkpoints were a symbol of deterrence against criminals and terrorists.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2016