KARACHI, Sept 22: Forty-eight senior police inspectors are facing an uncertain future as the police hierarchy is allegedly delaying the process of their promotion and they will reach their superannuation age if the matter is not considered immediately, it was learnt on Sunday.

Well-placed sources in the Sindh home department said the department had sent a letter (No POL-HD/2-8/2002-Vol-II) to the Inspector-General of the Sindh Police, Syed Kamal Shah, on Feb 1 this year.

In response to the letter from the home department, the IG recommended names of 48 senior inspectors for promotion to the post of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) against 36 vacant posts vide his letter No 3033/E-I on May 31.

The sources said the home department processed the promotion matter of 48 inspectors as recommended by the IG, and fixed a date for a meeting of the Departmental Promotion Committee in July. However, the meeting was being postponed continuously on one pretext or another as top officials in the home department and police did not have time to attend DPC meeting to decide the fate of the senior inspectors, who had been waiting to be promoted to the post of DSP before their retirement.

The sources said the delay was being caused by top-ranking police officials as they were apparently not taking interest in finalizing the matter.

They said some of the 48 senior inspectors would reach their superannuation age this year, and if the matter was not finalized, they would be deprived of their due benefits and of the position which they deserved.

The sources feared that if the matter was not considered before a political government came to power after the general elections, the vacant posts could be filled up with fresh appointments and the senior inspectors would retire without getting promotion.

PQR recruitment: Sindh police chief Syed Kamal Shah has sought improvement and modifications in the recruiting system applied for the Police Qaumi Razakar (PQR), adds APP.

Reviewing the functioning of the police welfare branch at his office, he acknowledged the importance of the PQR and underscored the need for entrusting adequate responsibilities upon the latter during the forthcoming elections.

The IGP issued specific instructions to the regional police officers (RPOs) in this regard.

Syed Kamal Shah directed the police officials to gear up the disposal of “compensation cases” of the policemen who were either killed or injured during execution of their duties.