LAHORE: The Punjab police department has appointed Deputy Inspector General (operations) Sohail Akhtar Sukhera as official spokesperson for the department under a newly-created information management and data sharing system.

The seat was created under the Punjab Police InformationBranch (PPIB), a news wing madeon the pattern of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

According to a standing order issued by Inspector General of Punjab Police Inam Ghani, the PPIB will work as a media and public relations wing to broadcast police news and information to the domestic and international electronic, print and social media to become a voice of the Punjab police.

“The standing order is issued under Article 27 of the Punjab Police Order of 2002 in order to streamline the functions of the Punjab police and information branch,” reads the notification issued on Monday.

The core objectives of the PPIB are to develop a collaborative, transparent, responsive, collaborative and accountable section, to institutionalise the process and mechanism of information sharing and to build soft and positive image of the Punjab police through positive and professional efforts.

Another objective is to build a relationship of trust with the media and public, reads the notification.

Under the standing order, the PPIB will be an integral part of the provincial police, headed by the PPIO, who will be assisted by the relevant staff and employees.

“As official spokesperson for the Punjab police, the newly appointed PPIO will establish a liaison with media houses, prominent journalists and opinion leaders,” reads the SO.

Thespokesperson will also establish liaison with regional, district and unit public relation officers, ensure linear information sharing for accurate representation of facts, and foster relationships of trust between police and public to enable them for creative and adaptive problem solving.

The official will be responsible for maintaining a data bank for print, electronic and social media news items, photographs and video footages about the police.

“All matters of press talks, briefings and releases, will be duly authorised by the PPIO before dissemination.”

All operational, organisational, strategic and planning information will be shared by the newly-appointed PPIO.

Under the newly created branch, the Punjab additional IG Operations will supervise all the policy decisions and authorisations of the PPIO.

According to it, there will be an assistant PPIO of BS-17 or BS-18 officer from general executive cadre posted in PPIB for his assistance.

The Punjab police department will provide additional or adequate administrative/technical staff to the PPIB in days to come to formally start functions.

Published in Dawn, Jannuary 5th, 2021