PESHAWAR, Jan 9: Lack of transport, accommodation, training and communication facilities have been cited as major reasons for an unimpressive performance of the NWFP police.

Talking to Dawn, senior officers said that the police were facing a number of serious problems because of which they were unable to give their best. "Low-rank police officers who are directly responsible for maintaining law and order, are the most deprived in terms of facilities that should have been extended to them as per government rules," said an officer of the NWFP police.

The low-rank policemen, especially constables, were working in inhuman conditions and as they were less in number than the strength required in urban areas, constables had to perform their duties for nearly 12 hours and were deprived of their weekly offs, a constable said.

The ratio between a constable and the number of people he protects should be one constable for 450 people in an urban area. But in practice, one constable was protecting 789 people in the NWFP, a police official said.

He said that the police department had sanctioned only 10 liter fuel per day to a police automobile which was often not enough and the mobile police had to generate funds for extra fuel on its own.

The junior policemen were also not provided with any wireless or transport facility when they have to perform duties on outskirts. "If any constable on duty at the Ring road wants to inform the police station about an incident he has no means of communication to do so," a police constable said.

A head-constable said that a building near West Cantonment police station, built in 1934 and providing accommodation to constables, was demolished as it was very old. But the constables had to live in the tents for months. Only four month ago one-barrack was built which could hardly house 24 people.

The policemen of junior ranks said that their basic pay was Rs2,100. Their salaries should be increased and they should be provided more facilities. The difference was striking between the senior and junior ranks officers of the police department in terms of social background, education and service grades.