RAWALPINDI: The security walls erected outside the office of the city police officer (CPO) have been razed and the beautification of Police Lines Headquarters has begun ahead of the inspector general of police (IGP) Punjab’s visit today (Thursday).

The work began on Wednesday in line with directives from the IGP, who had during a recent visit to Rawalpindi Police Lines expressed displeasure with the state of cleanliness, the electricity wires hanging in corridors and rooms that could cause a fire, and the overall shabby appearance of the area.

IGP Amjad Javed Saleemi was also unhappy with the construction of an 8ft high wall outside the CPO’s office that the police claimed was built for security reasons.

He had directed the wall to be removed as he would visit again sometime this month.

The wall has been razed, and its debris is now scattered over the parking area.

Mr Saleemi also observed during his last visit that no plantations have been carried out on the empty grounds at Police Lines, giving the area a barren appearance. This appears unchanged, but some saplings were planted at Police Lines Headquarters prior to his visit.

A resource management centre that displays the police uniform, riot tools, weapons, helmets, bulletproof vests, tear gas shells, batons and other equipment has also been set up. A senior police official said the centre was established to keep up-to-date stock records of police duty gear and equipment, and the records can be retrieved with one click.

A clean mess area with better quality food will be available for officials housed in the barracks, under the IGP’s directives.

CPO Abbas Ahsan told Dawn the beautification and improvement of Police Lines —including plantations and fixing up toilets, streetlights and the mess — has been completed.

Walls built inside Police Lines have been demolished, he added, and the hanging wires have been removed.

After his last visit, the IGP had sought a detailed report on the cleaning and beautification of Police Lines. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar during his visit to the headquarters had also expressed displeasure with barriers erected inside Police Lines, directing that they be removed to give access to the police.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2018