FAISALABAD: Forty-five policemen from the Faisalabad region -- most of them station house officers (SHOs) -- were transferred on Sunday.

About 22 SHOs, investigation officers and officers on general duty were transferred from Faisalabad to other districts.

Similarly, 23 policemen from Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot were sent to Faisalabad. All officers were transferred as they had been serving in their home districts for years.

The Punjab government had devised a policy under which an SHO could not serve in his home district. Sources told Dawn all officers had been transferred following the policy of Punjab Inspector General Mushtaq Ahmed that he had gotten approved from the chief minister.

They said district police officers of Jhang, Chiniot and Toba Tek Singh and the city police officer of Faisalabad had been given 48 hours to get the required formalities completed.

A core group of SHOs had been formed comprising officers with a good service record. They said after every six months, heads of district police in Faisalabad region -- Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Faisalabad -- would meet and evaluate the performance of SHOs included in the group.

They said policemen serving in the investigation wing and the Crimes Investigation Agency police would not be posted in their home division.

Published in Dawn January 26th , 2015

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