LAHORE, March 8: Undue burden on the supervisory police officers because of dual command has been adversely affecting the performance of the operations and investigations wings in the capital city police as the quality and quantity of investigation work at the police station level has declined a great deal.

Besides, a lack of administrative authority of the investigation SPs is also affecting the performance of their wing.

Official sources told Dawn that at a recent meeting of the investigation wing held by newly-appointed DIG (Investigation) Chaudhry Tassaduq Husain, some SPs and SPOs pointed out these problems.

The practice of complete separation of both wings was being implemented in letter and spirit by the capital city police of all provinces, except Punjab, they said.

“We have been facing emergency duties regarding law and order and patrolling and cannot spare time for the proper supervision of investigation cases and their timely disposal,” the SPOs conveyed to the DIG.

They said their performance was being hit by unscheduled meetings by the police high-ups of both investigation and operations wings.

Some of the participants, they said, suggested that there should be a few hours reserved for the SPOs to supervise investigation cases on a daily basis and they should not be disturbed during that time.

The SPs informed the DIG that they had been facing difficulties in handling the SPOs who were administratively answerable to the operations chief.

They pointed out that the ASPs/DSPs were not under their administrative control as a result of which they were called by the operations police high-ups for other duties.

The DIG said he would take up the issue with high-ups and convey the problems for better solution and improve investigation wing.

There are 34 circles with as many SPOs who are supervising affairs of both operations and investigation.

The SPO system was launched in June 2006 with one SPO for each police station, but the idea was changed after four months following the power tussle between the SPO and the SHO.

Later in October 2006, an SPO was made in charge of two police stations with status quo.

The separation of wings of operations and investigations under the police order has not been implemented in the capital city police as the SPO system is disturbing chain of command.