ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of low ranking police officials had to vacate barracks at Police Lines Headquarters and Security Division’s Headquarters where newly recruited officials will be lodged, Dawn has learnt.

Police Officers told Dawn that earlier, an order was issued on March 23, asking the officers and officials, who are deployed at other stations, but residing in police lines to vacate the barracks.

A day long deadline was given to them to vacate the barracks with the warning that their belongings will be thrown out, they added.

On the next day the belongings of hundreds of officials residing in the two police lines, located at H-11 and Red Zone were thrown out from the barracks, they said.

The police officials are helpless as majority of the police installations, having accommodation facilities are already overcrowded, they added.

The step was taken to arrange lodging for the newly recruited official to start their training, the officers said.

Earlier, DIGF Headquarters Islamabad in a letter addressed to Chief Commissioner Islamabad stated that ICT Police have recently recruited about 1,650 constables which shall undergo mandatory basic training recruit course.

ICT Police have insufficient training facilities and space at Capital Police College to accommodate all the trainees, it added.

Therefore, it is requested that Ministry of Interior may be approached on priority basis for provision of training facility at Shabqadar, Charsada of Frontier Constabulary to ICT Police for a period of four months for training of newly recruited constables, it said, adding that the ICT police employ its own trainers.

The officers said that the arrangement at the training facilities at Shabqadar, Charsada of Frontier Constabulary could not be made as the ministry refused to release funds for the training.

An amount of Rs600 to Rs800 is required for a recruit per day, they added.

After the refusal the police high-ups decided to start the training of the newly recruits in the police lines, they said, adding that the belonging of the police officials were thrown out form the barracks of two police lines to get them vacated for the recruits.

Accommodation for 800 recruits are arranged at Police Lines H-11 and for 400 recruits at Police Lines Security Division at Red Zone, the officers said, adding that the lodging for the remaining recruits has been arranged at Anti-Terrorism Squad Training School at Simly Dam.

Earlier, the capital police advertised 1,668 posts of constable and after due process, physical and written tests, and interviews 1607 candidates were selected for medical tests and police verification, they said, adding that 61 posts remained vacant due to non-availability of the eligible candidates.

After the medical test and police verification 1,532 candidates were called so far and belt number were issued to 1,511 candidates, the officers said, adding that the remaining 96 candidates who were in the final selection list were yet to be called due to unknown reason. However, the candidates from waiting list were being called for medical test and police verification.

PRO for the police approached several time, but he refused to give comment on the issues.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2023