LAHORE, March 31: The Punjab government on Friday set up a board for recruitment of army officers in Punjab police who will work mainly as highways patrolling in-charges in the province, it is learnt.

Setting up of the board was disclosed by Punjab IGP Ziaul Hasan Khan in a high-level meeting he chaired at the Central Police Office (CPO). All the senior command of Punjab police attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed by the IGP that besides him as head, the Punjab home secretary, the DIG highways patrolling and the DG Monitoring will be members of the recruitment board.

Sources said it was decided that initially at least 50 army officers to the rank of majors would be recruited. They, however, did not disclose that whether they would be serving army officials or retired. The 50 officers would be designated as District Highways Patrolling Officers, they added.

The meeting also discussed induction of more army officers into Punjab police, and their postings in areas other than the patrolling posts. However, no final decision was made as far as recruitment and posting of army officers to the other areas was concerned, the sources said. More officers, however, other than rank of major would be recruited for the patrolling posts, they added.

The army officers’ recruitment was being made for the patrolling posts on the orders of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, who had reportedly taken this decision in a high-level meeting in Rawalpindi some four days ago, the sources said.

The meeting was told that the decision had been made to strengthen the patrol posts working. The meeting also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the patrolling posts.

The IGP told the meeting that Punjab traffic police was also being revamped on the pattern of motorway police to cope with increasing traffic problems. Six thousands graduate officers with the designation of wardens were being recruited in the traffic police, he added.