RAWALPINDI: Detailed reports of criminal cases registered against police officials have been sought from all divisional and district police chiefs.

Inspector General of Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan directed officials to provide detailed reports of criminal cases registered between Jan 1, 2020 and Dec 31, 2021. Some of the cases were reportedly registered over drug trafficking, vehicle theft, arms and ammunition theft and so on. Details of all cases have been sought before the second week of April.

According to sources, in April 2020, the then city police officer (CPO) had launched a crackdown against police employees involved in criminal activities and arrested 49 officers on various charges during accountability.

A police spokesman had said that first information reports (FIRs) had been registered against the officers for their involvement in various illegal activities ranging from keeping people in illegal detention, torture, operation of gambling dens, supporting gamblers, attempted murder and murder, consumption of liquor, quarrelling with colleagues, drug supply and keeping illegal weapons.

All police personnel that were nominated in the FIRs have been arrested and investigations were launched.

Just recently, Regional Police Officer Ashfaq Ahmad Khan dismissed an assistant sub-inspector and a constable posted in Tala Gang after they were proven guilty of implicating an innocent citizen in a fake drug case. A spokesman for the RPO said that an inquiry was launched after the incident came to light.

Superintendent of police (legal) initiated the inquiry during which both officials were proven guilty. The spokesperson claimed that when both officers appeared before the RPO, they were unable to justify their actions, which resulted in their expulsion from the force.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2022