RAWALPINDI: A number of key posts in the police department, including that of the Special Branch senior superintendent, have been vacant for several months, causing administrative and security problems.

In addition, Rawalpindi district police are facing a shortage of more than 40 inspectors despite the approval by the inspector general of the police to appoint 96 personnel.

The posts of two superintendents in the Rawal division and the investigation wing have also been vacant for months.

The post of Special Branch SP remains vacant after SP Rana Shahid was removed for failing to provide intelligence on the Attock bombing in August.

Two posts of deputy superintendents in the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) have also been vacant as have DSP posts in administration and the legal branch.

In order to overcome the shortage of more than 40 inspectors, the Rawalpindi city police officer posted several sub-inspectors as station house officers (SHO) as alternatives but was forced to reverse the decision after it became apparent that the sub-inspectors were unable to perform as SHOs.

Police experts have stated that the Rawalpindi district posed several challenges for policing such as terrorism incidents, street crime and security duties, which makes the sustained absence of key police officials mysterious.

Regional police officer (RPO) Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja reshuffled the police officers on Sunday.

Among those reshuffled were inspector Abdul Ghaffer, who was moved from the Special Protection Unit to Chakwal, inspector Iqbal Khattak, from the Punjab Constabulary Farooqabad to Rawalpindi district, inspector Abdul Aziz from the Counter-Terrorism Department to Jhelum and inspector Zulfiqar Ali, from the RPO office to Attock.

Inspector Musarrat Abbas was transferred to Rawalpindi district police from the traffic department while sub-inspectors Mohammad Tariq and Mohammad Altaf were transferred to Attock.

Assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) Arshad Mehmood and Khyzir Hayat were also transferred to Attock. Sub-inspector Mohammad Bashir was transferred to Jhelum, and ASI Faiz Sultan was transferred Rawalpindi district.

Sub-inspector Khalid Mehmood was sent to Attock along with ASI Ghulam Murtaza.

As per government policies, lists of all the police officials who had completed their three-year tenure at the same post were prepared.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015

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