RAWALPINDI: Police officers dislike the new uniform and want the old uniform back, says a survey report compiled by a team constituted by the inspector general of police (IGP) Punjab.

The team distributed forms under the directives of IGP Arif Nawaz Khan, the police team distributed forms among the force and asked questions about the uniform including colour, pattern, appearance, if it is easy to wear etc.

They were also asked what changes they would want to make to the uniform and if the old uniform should be restored.

Police officials are reported to have said the uniform is unbearable in the humid season and that wearing it is a “miserable” experience. Most of the reviews collected were negative.

“When they see us in the new uniform, people call us postmen and some even laugh at us,” an assistant sub-inspector said, adding that the old uniform had a status attached to it which the new one does not.

The ASI said the police do not need a new uniform, they need facilities and better working conditions.

“We have to spend our own money during investigations or put the burden on the family of victims or the accused when they are transported to jail. Only the police officials who are investigating murders are paid from the investigation funds but even that is insufficient,” he said, adding that investigation officers have to bribe officials of the prosecution branch to clear the investigation report or they reject it.

He said the IGP should look into these issues rather than forcing the police to wear a uniform they do not like.

The IGP had directed the survey committee to submit recommendations for either making changes in the uniform, leave it as it is or revert to the old uniform.

The police in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Sheikhupura had started wearing the new dark olive green uniform last month and the remaining units of police in Punjab were directed to switch their uniforms by December 2017.

All police officers were given two uniform kits consisting of two pairs of trousers, two shirts, two round neck shirts, a belt and badges but were asked to use the shoes that came with the old uniforms.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2017