LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan has said he will not tolerate crimes against women and children and asked the police officers to start a vigorous awareness campaign in education institutions to curb the menace in the province.

He said this while presiding over the first departmental meeting to share his priorities and policies.

The IGP also directed his subordinates to shift their focus to the police stations, being basic units of policing. He said the role of supervisory officers had been crucial in this regard.

He said the officers and personnel who had disrespectful, abusive or irresponsible attitude towards the citizens should not be posted in the police stations.

Mr Khan said Dolphin Squad and Police Response Units (PRUs) were established to act as ‘first responder force’ and they should not be allowed to set up pickets on roads.

Bars Dolphin Squad, PRU from setting up pickets

While issuing the directions, he said the city and district police officers should form special awareness teams to prevent incidents of sexual violence and harassment against children and women. The teams, he said, should visit educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities and madressahs, to deliver lectures in this respect.

The IGP said arrangements should be made within the next one week to start this awareness drive for the children in the educational institutions.

He said the emergency calls received on IGP Complaint No 1787 should immediately be transferred to the concerned circle officer for immediate relief to the callers.

He warned that any delay in resolving such complaints would not be tolerated.

Special attention should be paid to CCTV monitoring of front desks, lock-ups and SHOs rooms and departmental action should be taken against any violation of SOPs by police officers and personnel during the monitoring.

Rao Sardar directed Information Technology DIG Waqas Nazir that the scope of service centres should be further expanded.

“A feasibility report should be prepared and submitted to me as soon as possible so that the scope of public service project can be expanded,” the IG said.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2021