RAWALPINDI: Voicing concern over non-implementation of standard operating procedure to discourage sale and purchase of stolen mobile phones, the city police officer has given three days deadline to all SHOs of the garrison city to ensure mobile phone shops and technicians install e-gadget software.

City Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani said if the record of purchase, sale and repair of mobile phones was not compiled, the officers concernedincluding SHO of the police station concernedwill be held responsible.

The move came about after a considerable increase in snatching and theft of mobile phones in Rawalpindi was recorded with the police. In the Rawalpindi district, 20 to 25 mobile phones are either stolen or taken almost every day.

Mobile phone dealers have also been bound to keep a record of mobile phones they buy and sell so that the incidents of mobile phone snatching and theft could be prevented and technicians have also been asked not to change software of stolen mobile phones.

CPO Khalid Hamdani chalked assigned the task to the Rawalpindi police at the police station level of keeping complete record of those who come for repairs, while making monitoring stricter.

By getting all the mobile phone dealers and technicians in the limits to install the e-gadget software of the Punjab Police, Indulge them to update the entries in the software at the same time whenever they buy, sell and repair a mobile phone.

Those who avoid following SOPs, legal action should be taken against them after verification.

Expressing strong resentment on the officers and SHOs, the CPO sent a letter to SP Rawal, Potohar, Sadar and Kohsar titled “Implementation of e-gadget software” from October to December.

Referring to the similar orders written on three different dates during 2023, it has been said that e-gadget software SOPs have been compiled and instructions have been issued repeatedly for implementation by all mobile phone vendors and mobile shops.

The (App) application should be installed immediately and the ID should be verified from the front desk of the police station concerned.

CPO Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani has expressed deep concern over the situation and said in the directive that despite all the instructions, registration in the e-gadget software, instructions were not being implemented.

The registered number of mobile phone shops in Rawalpindi is 4,500 and the incidents of snatching etc. are also high, but if the number of entries per day is evaluated, only 43 entries have been made.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2024