RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has sought the number of police officials required for each region and district, along with a cost estimate, aimed at enhancing per capita police strength.

As police experts say: “Higher rate of violent crime is correlated with lower police per capita strength levels. There are at least five posts of SP rank lying vacant in the Rawalpindi district.”

In Rawalpindi district, the post of SP Headquarters, SP Potohar, Senior Traffic Officer (STO) and SP Kohsar have also been lying vacant. SP CIA Tariq Mehboob has been enjoying two additional charges of SP Headquarters and SP Potohar.

In a letter to all divisional police chiefs and district police chiefs across the Punjab province, the Inspector General of Police has asked the police to send him details of the required strength along with a cost statement till Monday (Sept 19).

Following police rules of 1934, a standard formula for calculation of police strength had also been given to the divisional police chiefs.

According to criteria, one constable will be recruited for 450 persons, one head constable will be required for 10 constables, one ASI will be required for every five head constables, while one SI is required for 100 constables.

According to second criteria, the requirement for investigation on the basis of crimes a year 12 constables will be required for 75 cases a year, one head constable for 75 cases, one ASI for 75 cases and one SI for 75 cases a year.

In Punjab, ASIs recruited during 2009-2011 have still been waiting to be promoted whereas according to police rules, ASIs promoted to the next rank within three to four years. But those who were recruited during 2009-2011 were still waiting to be promoted.

A senior police official said that when a senior police officer is assigned additional responsibilities of additional posts – he or she can’t justify with them as the policing is a sensitive job.

It is not the district police who have been facing shortage of strength, the city traffic police have also been facing the same situation due to which they have been unable to control traffic in the city.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2022