ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has shelved a plan to raise Islamabad metropolitan police and decided to establish a municipal warden force instead.

“Yes, we were supposed to raise Islamabad metropolitan police but now the plan has been changed and we are going to raise municipal warden force,” said a senior officer of the CDA.

He said rules and law had been drafted for the warden force. “Soon, we will start the process of recruiting wardens who will not only facilitate citizens and tourists but will also keep a check on encroachments, etc.,” he said.

Giving reason for shelving the metropolitan police plan, the officer said earlier it was decided that CDA will raise the force in collaboration with the Islamabad police and the vacant posts will be filled by the police. “It was a lengthy process that’s why we have dropped the idea and now we are going to raise the warden force,” the officer said.

Earlier, in March 2021, the CDA board had approved the formation of the first ever metropolitan police to help citizens and tourists with special focus on public places particularly parks.

“It was discussed during the meeting that the initiative for establishment of the metropolitan police be taken in collaboration with the ICT and Islamabad police. The concept was to focus on guiding and helping citizens at public places, particularly at parks and other tourist spots,” read the board’s decision.

It said the metropolitan police will also perform duties and functions such as to educate the citizens about environment friendly practices, guide and inform the tourists about places of interest and coordinate via wireless and telephone control with all allied rescue departments.

It will also perform patrolling on bikes and cycles to infuse a sense of security in people visiting the capital. After due deliberation, the board had decided to establish the first ever such force with the name of Metro Tourist Police.

The board had directed that the capital police will be requested to fill all the sanctioned vacant posts of police in CDA in addition to transfer more police employees along with their posts (including one DSP/ASP) to the CDA.

However, the CDA has now dropped the idea and is going to raise the municipal warden force.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2022