KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the inspector general of police to ensure that at least 50 per cent strength of the Special Security Unit (SSU) must work with the operations and investigations wings of the police.

A single bench of the SHC headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar observed that the SSU must not be spared for only ‘VIP protocol’ as policemen belonging to this unit were trained at the cost of public exchequer so the people should also receive the fruits of such elite unit.

The bench asked the IGP to file a compliance report till Nov 21.

The court said it was informed that more than 2,000 highly trained policemen had been inducted in the SSU of the Sindh police during the last 10 years, but there was no information whether they had undertaken any investigation / action against crime in the province particularly in Karachi as public was facing miseries and unable to move freely.

SHC asks chief secretary to establish welfare fund for police dept in three months

“Accordingly, IGP Sindh shall ensure that such unit shall not be spared for the VIP Protocol only which was not the meant/goal for introducing the SSU Branch, when admittedly on public exchequer they have been trained and getting extra salaries thereby public shall also receive the fruits of that force expertise,” the order said.

The bench noted that Sindh police had no welfare scheme like other armed forces and law enforcement agencies. It directed the chief secretary and the finance secretary to establish a welfare fund within three months.

It also ordered authorities to introduce housing schemes, hospitals, schools and rehabilitation centres for police personnel and their families.

The bench also called a report from the secretary of the universities & boards department regarding its earlier directives to introduce a four-year degree programme in forensic education as well as new related subjects in all the universities across the province.

Published in Dawn, October 22th, 2022