LAHORE: Multan Commissioner Aamir Kareem Khan on Monday warned irrigation department officials of disciplinary action for negligence in checking water theft and directed timely registration of FIRs of such offences, proper collection of evidence and prosecution to ensure conviction of offenders.

He was presiding over a meeting to review measures against water theft, delays in FIRs registration and procedural impediments to effective prosecution.

The meeting was also attended by Multan Regional Police Officer (RPO) Usman Gondal, City Police Officer (CPO) Akhtar Farooq, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Faisal Saleem and irrigation department superintending engineer. Deputy commissioners, district police officers and irrigation officials of Lodhran, Khanewal and Vehari attended the meeting via video-link.

The commissioner said that preventing water theft was a fundamental responsibility of the irrigation department and could not be discharged merely by forwarding reports and robkars (formal complaints for legal proceedings).

He directed the department to proactively detect violations, secure credible evidence and pursue cases to their legal conclusion, in line with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s zero-tolerance policy on such offences.

He warned that any departmental complicity or negligence in water theft would invite stringent disciplinary action, including dismissal from service, where warranted.

He called for the elimination of procedural delays, stronger surveillance, digital mapping of theft-prone locations and strict monitoring and action on the reported incidents.

Relevant officials were directed to review pending cases weekly, while the irrigation department was asked to submit, within one week, a progress report on disciplinary proceedings against negligent personnel.

RPO Gondal highlighted deficiencies in the documentation submitted by the irrigation department, saying it complicated suspects’ identification and impeded legal proceedings.

Deputy commissioners also gave their input and suggested measures to check water theft effectively.

CPO Farooq and the DPOs discussed obstacles relating to FIR registration, incomplete documentation, suspect identification and evidentiary shortcomings.

Irrigation department officials briefed the meeting on the modus operandi of water theft, the existing canal network, surveillance arrangements, reported incidents, complaints forwarded to police and FIRs registered.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026