LAHORE, Feb 20: The provincial police officer has been given a four-month time by the chief minister to improve the department affairs and the law and order situation in Punjab.

Official sources said on Tuesday the IGP had been given time to steer the department out of the sticky situation on his request at a recent meeting.

The chief minister wanted the IGP to improve the department’s performance and control crime within a month.

The IG was assured that there would be no interference from the chief minister’s secretariat or from MNAs or MPAs regarding the postings and transfers of officials of all ranks, they said.

However, they said, the chief minister desired that he would hold monthly meetings with the IGP and other senior police officers concerned to assess what was being done to improve the affairs.

Sources said political interference in postings and transfers of officials had been a major hurdle in establishing a set-up fit to fight crime. And it was yet to be seen whether the IGP would be able to independently appoint the right person at the right place to get the results as desired by the chief minister.