LAHORE: Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan has directed the officials to remove the pickets across the province.

However, the inter-provincial and inter-district check posts would continue to operate, he said during a video-link conference of the regional police officers (RPOs) on Tuesday.

He said new SOPs (standard operating procedures) had been issued and directed the field police officers to ensure strict implementation.

The IGP said monitoring of vehicles should be ensured through CCTV cameras instead of engaging police at barriers and check posts. The personnel deputed at the check posts should be engaged in operational activities, he said.

According to the discipline matrix mentioned in the new SOPs, if any citizen complains about misbehaviour at the inter-provincial and inter-district check posts, the relevant DSP will be held responsible. He said the citizens could also lodge a complaint on 8787 IGP Complaint Centre.

As the RPOs briefed the IGP on the crime situation and performance of police teams in their respective regions, he directed the DPOs to personally reach the scene in cases of violence and rape to solve these cases at the earliest. The DPOs, he said, should share weekly progress reports of such cases with the Central Police Office.

The security plan for the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain also came under discussion. The IGP directed the officials to provide a four-layered security to the processions besides deploying snipers at the rooftops.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2019