RAWALPINDI: Following the withdrawal of Rangers personnel from the high security prison in Sahiwal, senior police officials have expressed a lack of confidence in the police force, and have asked for Elite Force personnel to be deployed for guard duty instead.

Police officials expressed their concerns before Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera, saying that the situation would go from bad to worse following the withdrawal of Rangers personnel from guard duty at the prison and on bridges. They said the local police have limited resources, and cannot provide the required level of security. They requested that Elite Force personnel be deployed in place of Rangers.

The moving of high profile convicted terrorists from the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, the Central Jail in Faisalabad and the Central Jail in Multan has also begun. A senior official from the prison department said all the convicts will be shifted to the Sahiwal prison.

Of the 41 high profile prisoners housed at the Central Jail in Rawalpindi, 26 are under trial in relation to sectarian and terrorism cases, 18 are convicted and seven are condemned prisoners. Convicted prisoners will be moved to the Sahiwal high security prison.

The Sahiwal regional police officer (RPO) also asked the IGP to provide two platoons of the Punjab Constabulary (PC) for the security of Darbar in the Pakpattan district.

The Bhakkar district police officer (DPO) expressed concern over the deployment of 20 PC personnel for the security of the Dajal Bridge in Dhakkar after the Rangers’ withdrawal. The DPO asked that a considerable number of police constabulary be provided for the bridge’s security.

A year after the National Action Plan (NAP) was initiated, the PML-N led Punjab government has decided to withdraw Rangers personnel deployed at sensitive locations. Security for three prison facilities, five bridges connecting Punjab to other provinces, the Lahore Fort, Qaddafi Stadium and the Attock district will transferred to Punjab police personnel.

Under the new strategy private security guards will help local police man main barrages and irrigation systems, instead of Rangers.

According to a senior police official, the decision to withdraw Ranger from sensitive installations was taken at a meeting of divisional police chiefs earlier this month.

Mr Sukhera told Dawn that Rangers wanted the provincial government to relieve them so they could focus on their prime duty: protecting borders. Mr Sukhera said the police was capable of providing security to sensitive installations.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2015