KARACHI: More than 300 personnel of city traffic police out of total 3,200, who are set to be transferred to their hometowns in different districts of Sindh after completion of their five-year period of deputation in Karachi, have accepted the offer to stay here and served in the business capital, officials said.

The policemen will now be absorbed in the Karachi police with due seniority and other benefits.

Similarly, the officials added that 144 traffic personnel serving in different cities of Sindh were likely to be transferred to Karachi to fill the positions after a “serious human resource crisis” emerged before the law-enforcement department already struggling to meet the shortage of personnel in Karachi.

“More than 3,200 personnel of the city traffic police are set to be transferred to their hometowns in different districts of Sindh after completion of their five-year deputation period in Karachi,” said an official.

Policemen from interior of Sindh will be absorbed in city police with due seniority

“The Karachi police have offered the personnel to stay and continue to serve in Karachi and they would be absorbed in the city police service structure. So 326 personnel have agreed and their cases are now pursued for due documentation.”

Recruited in 2016 in different Sindh districts, some 3,200 personnel were transferred to Karachi for a five-year period in the name of meeting shortage in the traffic section of the police department.

Immediately after their transfer in the second half of 2016, they started serving in the city traffic police and completed their five-year term in late 2021.

“These 3,200 personnel would be transferred in phases,” said the official.

“To avoid sudden shortage in the Karachi traffic police department, which is already serving under its sanctioned strength, each month around 300 personnel will be sent back to their respective districts. It is expected that the process will take nine to 10 months to complete. The process of transfer is well-defined and has been conveyed to all these personnel.”

New recruitment

He said that with this new arrangement and some 7,000 new recruitment being made as part of Karachi police induction process, the city traffic police would be able to control the situation within a few months.

With the sanctioned strength of 10,000 personnel, the Karachi traffic police are serving with a little more than 6,500 personnel, he added.

The Sindh police department is in the process of inducting more than 10,000 men and women — with a major chunk of recruitment from Karachi youth having city domicile — in one of its massive recruitment drives announced after years.

The Sindh police are filling 10,490 vacancies with 6,655 recruitment for Karachi Range alone.

Under the plan announced by the Sindh police for the Karachi police force, the law-enforcement agency is inducting 6,655 youngsters as constables from all eight districts — South, West, Central, East, Keamari, Malir, City and Korangi — of its organisational structure in the metropolis.

“The recruitment process and then training of recruited personnel are time-consuming exercises. So for time being, the personnel of different Sindh cities are being absorbed in the city police structure,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2022