RAWALPINDI: With the departure of 3,300 police personnel to Faisalabad and Chakwal for the reinforcement of local units to maintain law and order during the upcoming local bodies elections, the police department may soon be advertising ‘help wanted’ instead of ‘most wanted’.

Of the 6,500 strong police force in Rawalpindi 2,500 personnel are already on various duties, including training programmes. Some are posted in Jhelum, while others are on the security detail of Chinese expats, among other duties.

Out of the remaining 4,000 personnel with the Rawalpindi police, 3,300 will be going to Faisalabad and Chakwal, leaving 700 personnel in Rawalpindi district.

With the departure of such a large portion of police personnel from all of the city’s police stations, as well as reserve police, it will largely be clerical staff that will be left behind at police offices and police stations.

When asked about the problems facing the police force after the departure of such a large portion, City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Abbasi said he had already expressed his concerns over the shortage of manpower, but nobody was ready to realise the problem.

When asked how he would manage as the district police chief, keeping in mind the prevailing security situation, he said: “The police department and the people of Rawalpindi will now be left on Allah ka sahara (God’s mercy).”

In addition to the police force in Faisalabad and in Chakwal, local police chiefs had asked the inspector general of Punjab police for an additional police force for the upcoming local bodies elections, which will be held on October 31.

A significant number of personnel are looking to influential figures who may be able to help them get their names stricken off the list of those being sent to Faisalabad or Chakwal.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 in various districts.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2015

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