RAWALPINDI: The inspector general of the Punjab police, who has been facing criticism from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-insaf (PTI) chairman, was unable to promptly get his direction delivered to the force across the province to stop harassing, detaining and arresting political workers.

On September 15, Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera, the IGP, issued a letter to all the regional police chiefs and the city police officers to stop harassing, illegally arresting and detaining political workers and immediately release if anybody had already been detained.

In Rawalpindi, the IGP’s directive was to be passed on to all the SPs and SHOs by the city police officer (CPO) with an immediate effect for compliance.

But when the IGP issued the direction the city police were blocking entry points into the twin cities and picking political workers to prevent them from joining the sit-ins of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in Islamabad.

The Rawalpindi police, who seemed to be confused over the government policy about the marchers, delivered the IGP’s letter to the police across the district on September 19.

A source in the police said immediately after the IGP’s order was received, political workers picked up by the police were released.

The IGP in his letter to the police stated: “Nobody should be illegally arrested, detained or harassed. Any violation of these instructions shall be dealt severely.”

The IGP also said that harassment, illegal detention and arrests of political workers was neither accepted nor recommended by the police.

But during the police crackdown, innocent people who had nothing to do with the sit-ins were also picked up and later detained on the directions of the district coordination officer for 15 to 30 days.

“The delay in delivering the IGP’s order could be deliberate or the officials concerned at the CPO office might have forgotten to pass it on timely,” a police official said.

But a large number of people, including political workers, were still being harassed and detained by the police on the charges of violating Section 144 in the Rawalpindi district.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd , 2014