BAHAWALPUR: The South Punjab police have approached the Punjab government for the release of funds for the completion of the under-construction safe city projects of Bahawalpur and Multan.

This was stated by Additional Inspector General (AIG) police, South Punjab Zafar Iqbal Awan here on Saturday. According to a press release, the South Punjab AIG police was speaking on the occasion of inspection of the under-construction projects of safe city and Dolphin Force at the District Police Lines, Bahawalpur.

The AIG was given briefing by the local police officials on the two projects which were under execution for the last several years.

The projects could not be completed due to paucity of funds which the government could not release during the previous yearswith the result that neither safe city project nor the building of the Dolphin Force could be completed at the local district police lines.

The AIG informed the police officials that he had demanded funds from the government for their completion. He directed the local police officials to intensify the police patrollingat the sensitive installations and city’s important bazaars. With the cooperation of civil society and traders, the CCTV cameras be installed to overcome the street crimes and nab the criminals.

He directed the police officials to launch a crackdown on land grabbers, POs and court deserters and complete the work of the upgradation of police installation including police stations .

On the occasion, DPO Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera gave him briefing on the crime situation in the district. He said the crime graph had registered a downward trend.

Earlier, the additional IG in his camp office listened to the complaints of the general public under government’s open-door policy and issued necessary orders on their complaints.

He said he was pursuing a policy to convert the police force into a community force on modern lines from the traditional investigation agency to provide justice to the general public. He warned the police officials of harsh accountability and said that under the influence of official “uniform” they should desist from supporting the oppressors.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2021