ISLAMABAD: Thursday was a day of celebration for the police and Frontier Constabulary personnel as Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced at a ‘darbar’ cash prizes, medals and welfare schemes for them for turning the PTI’s threat to “lock down” the federal capital into an anti-climax.

But the city police, who formed the biggest contingent in enforcing the law to save constitutional democracy from the threat, sat disgruntled at the darbar for none of the goodies came their way.

While medals and cash prizes went to four officers of the Punjab police, the Frontier Constabulary, called from the PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, got a pay raise and promise of hospitals and educational institutions – if land was made available for them.

Dawn has learned that Islamabad police wireless network had buzzed on the D-day that their 50 officers and jawans had been selected to receive appreciation certificates and should turn up smartly dressed “at 9am at the Police Lines Headquarters where the minister will be holding darbar.”

However, no call came to the three superintendents of police, two deputy superintendents of police, five inspectors, three sub-inspectors, seven assistant sub-inspectors and others of lower ranks from the dais.

Since they were expecting cash rewards along with the certificates, their disappointment could be seen turning into resentment, said police sources.

“Many were resentful that they were not selected for receiving the certificates and alleged partisanship in the selection,” said one senior Islamabad police officer. “They thought themselves more deserving than what they called ‘the blue-eyed boys’ and threatened to tell the minister so to embarrass the selectors.”

Another officer confided that the idea of the minister awarding the Islamabad police personnel was dropped after some officers expressed reservation over the selected lot.

Those policemen who battled with charged PTI workers at Banigala and Bhara Kahu, especially near Imran Khan’s house, felt most hurt, he said.

“We are looking for government land to establish hospitals and schools in KP for the FC personnel,” Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the darbar, adding it depended on circumstances.

“If Allah gives as a chance and we make a government in KP, InshaAllah after the next elections, I will try my level best to establish a school and college there for the children of FC,” the minister said.

Or else during the tenure of current government “if the KP chief minster provides land for the hospital and schools,” he added.

Punjab police and FC personnel greeted his announcements by raising slogans. But when some Punjab police asked for same benefits announced for the FC, the minister told them to be disciplined and not politicise the event.

The minister also appreciated the performance of the Punjab police and FC personnel who successfully intercepted the PTI leaders and workers at Pathar Garh and Haroonabad. He announced certificates and cash Rs50,000 to each and everyone who were part of the success.

Shortly after Chaudhry Nisar left the darbar, the Punjab police, who had come from the district of Attock, also left in a huff without taking lunch, arranged for them along with FC and the capital and AJK police personnel.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2016