ISLAMABAD: Due to shortage of manpower, a number of posts of senior officers in the capital police are lying vacant while some officers are holding additional charges.

Some of the officers are looking after three offices while others have dual charges, police officers told Dawn on condition of anonymity. One of the important offices, the senior superintendent of police (operations) is vacant since February.

Other vacant posts are deputy inspector general of police (law and order), AIG operations, AIG general, SP Industrial Area and SP Anti-Riot Unit.

Protests and a long march are being planned in the capital, including one by JUI-F. Under such circumstances, there is a need for the DIG law and order, SSP operations, SP Anti-Riot Unit and SP operations, said the officials. Some officers have been given additional charges of these offices.

The casual response of the Central Police Office (CPO) to fill these posts with suitable officers is hindering the smooth working of the police, they stated.

The SSP operations office is vacant since February after the then SSP was promoted.

The CPO got posted the then AIG operations Sardar Ghias Gul Khan as the SSP operations but the prime minister cancelled the order. Mr Khan is now attending a course.

The SSP operations office is being looked after by DIG Waqaruddin Syed and additional SP Zeeshan Haider. The DIG is looking after policy and decision making issues while the SP is signing orders and notifications.

Details collected from the police public relations office and Central Police Office showed that SP Sumera Azam is holding two offices - SP headquarters and AIG operations. Her husband SP Zeeshan Haider is holding three offices - additional SP (operations), SP Industrial Area besides looking after some matters of the SSP operations.

The couple has already completed their tenure of three years in the capital police. SP Sumera has been working in the capital for over five years while SP Zeeshan is in the capital since Sept 2016.

DIG Sarfaraz Ahmed Falki is holding the offices of Director General Safe City Project and DIG Law and Order Division and SP Anti-Terrorism Squad Abdul Razaq is holding the additional charge of SP Anti-Riot Unit.

When contacted, SP Sumera, who is also spokesperson for the police, said she was the SP headquarters with the additional charge of AIG operations for three months. She does not hold the SP SSG charge which is with the SP Diplomatic Enclave Liaquat Niazi.

Zeeshan Haider is additional SP with additional charge of SP Industrial Area, she said, adding he is not holding the post of SSP operations and the seat was vacant.

The post of SSP operations is being looked after by DIG operations, she said, adding the requisition for three SPs was under process.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2019