RAWALPINDI: The city police officer (CPO) has fired 33 police officers and officials in a single day due to inadequate investigation and follow-up in drug-related offences.

Among the officers dismissed from the police department are nine sub-inspectors, 11 assistant sub-inspectors, one head constable and 12 constables.

A police spokesman said the officers’ dismissal came about after they were found guilty of showing negligence and unprofessional conduct during investigation of drug-related cases.

“The dismissal orders were issued on Saturday,” the spokesman said, adding that due to the negligence and unprofessional behaviour of the dismissed officers, the accused were able to avoid punishment from the courts of law.

CPO Syed Khalid Mehmood Hamdani said no negligence would be tolerated in the crackdown on drug sellers and peddlers.

In case of non-conviction, the officers concerned will be held accountable in any case, he added.

More than 1,100 drug smugglers have been jailed in the two-month crackdown and large quantities of hashish, heroin, ice and other drugs were recovered from the arrested drug dealers.

It is important to punish drug traffickers so that the society can be cleansed of these evils. All senior officers will directly supervise the investigations

and prosecutions in narcotics cases, the CPO added.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2023