FAISALABAD: At least 62 station house officers (SHOs) will face the music for not ensuring community patrolling (thikri pehra) in their respective areas despite repeated instructions by the regional police officer (RPO).

RPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar had directed the Faisalabad city police officer (CPO) and district police officers (DPOs) of Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot a couple of days ago to ensure the community patrolling. They had also been directed to check the pehra and ensure uploading of pictures on the Village Eye app.

The patrolling had been checked by a team of the regional police office, which found that 62 SHOs out of 74 police stations of Faisalabad region did not ensure the patrolling.

Faisalabad has 41 police stations: one for women, seven each in Lyallpur Town and Jaranwala division, Iqbal and Madina towns have eight police stations each and 10 fall under the Saddar division. Not a single police station ensured community patrolling despite repeated instructions.

Toba Tek Singh has 11 police stations and all SHOs completely ignored the instructions of the RPO. Similarly, five out of 14 police stations of Jhang, and six out of nine in Chiniot ignored the community patrolling instructions.

Through a letter sent to the police chiefs of the four districts, the RPO told them that they had been given several reminders to ensure the thikri pehra in police stations under their command. No action was recommended against the senior policemen who failed to ensure implementation on the orders of the RPO.

This community patrolling was a decades-old practice and police officials had been trying to save people from robbers and thieves through this system. The system could help the police that was facing shortage of staff to manage the local populations.

Sources said majority of the SHOs did not bother contacting local notables who could help them ensure community patrolling in their areas. They said the failure of such patrolling was also the fault of top police management, including deputy superintendents of police, town superintendents of police and others. By mobilising these officials, they said, effective results could be obtained. However, no action has been taken against such negligent officials.

A senior police officer said besides the SHOs, other officials had also been directed to remain vigilant and play their part to protect life and property of people.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2019