LAHORE: Inspector General of Punjab Police Inam Ghani has said the South Punjab additional IG has been empowered and strengthened to provide all possible relief to the citizens of the region.

He said the initiative was taken to solve problems of the citizens at their doorsteps through effective policing so that police setup may be strengthened by handling administrative, financial and operational matters in a better way for provision of real relief to the people under smart and community policing.

The IGP said a new standing order had been issued regarding the powers and duties of south Punjab additional IG under which he had been given full powers of transfers and postings of executive, ministerial and other staff including SP, DSP and inspector up to grade 18.

At the same time, in matters relating to service and discipline, the executive and ministerial staff up to grade 17, he will be fully empowered to decide on penalties and appeals for penalties so that he may serve the people of three regions and eleven districts of south Punjab diligently and freely.

He said that in order to provide relief to the people, all the powers of supervision of investigation related matters had been vested in the additional IG, including the significant power to approve the change of investigation for the third time.

Whereas Performance Evaluation Reports of regional police officers, DIGs and SSPs will be written under his direct command and he could approve pension cases for executive and ministerial staff up to grade 17.

The order states the duties and powers of the additional IG include full details of operational, investigation, administrative and financial matters so that he can perform his duties without any pressure and with complete independence.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2020