Basic idea behind the separation, says a senior police officer who has been involved in the police revamp, was to divide the police working among different wings, with an aim make each wing expert on one nature of crime.

Main focus at the initial stages was to improve the investigation side, which had been very poor, as an investigator would always find excuses whenever taken to task. Sometimes, he would be engaged in law and order duty, sometimes escorting a VIP or appearing in courts (before the separation), leaving no time for investigation.

The investigation wing was further divided into four major categories besides several sub-sections. It included crime against person, crime against property, organised crimes and computerization and criminal record office (CRO) with SSP investigation in command.

Each of the four sections were proposed to be headed by an independent SP, but only two SPs had been doing this job after the new system was introduced. Thirteen to 15 DSPs were appointed to assist the four sections of this department. Each DSP was supposed to head a sub-section like homicide, robbery, carjacking, fraud and forgery etc. One of them headed a separate special interrogation unit, exclusively in this department.

All previous setups and resources of the then Crimes Investigating Agency (CIA) were merged into the investigation department.

Under the fresh order, investigation staff located at each police station will investigate all crimes against person, property, vehicle theft/snatching and under local and special laws having punishments of more than three years. Earlier, the staff were located at 16 investigation centres.

“It has been experienced that the establishment of the independent investigation centres has caused inconvenience to general public and it is expedient and in the interest of general public to reassess the present setup of the police investigation wing,” wrote the city police chief in his order.

Now, the order says, cases of heinous crime may be entrusted by the police chief or investigation police SSP to the district-based special squads, located separately from the police stations. It adds the investigation of such crimes shall be supervised by organised crime SP, assisted by DSP CIA and DSP criminal record office.

“The CIA DSP will also be responsible for collecting criminal intelligence, cultivating sources, busting gangs and to work out heinous crimes against property.”

The order says the offences pertaining to local and special laws entailing punishment up to three years shall continue to be investigated by the police operations and prevention wing as per practice.

Both the investigation and operation wings will be located at police stations under the administrative and operational command of the in charge (SHO), says the fresh order.

Earlier, the new system had slashed the powers or otherwise burden of the SHOs and other police force at the police station level. It had limited the SHOs to dealing with administrative working, local government laws and prevention of crime only. Now with the administrative and operational command back with them, they had got all previous powers, or otherwise all the burden, killing the spirit of the separation of investigation from watch and ward.

“Each investigation officer shall be allotted beat and he will be responsible for investigating all cases pertaining to his jurisdiction and in case of a heinous crime, the SHO may depute some additional staff to assist him,” says the order issued for “reorganisation” of the investigation wing.

It stated that the police station in charge shall depute beat officer concerned of the investigation wing to investigate a case and take measures for the recovery and arrest of offenders.

The recovery which has always been a “lucrative job” for the police was the biggest bone of contention for those who did not “digest” the separation of the police investigation since the day it was implemented.

The Lahore police operation and prevention wing headed by SSP Aftab Cheema did not stop making recoveries and, even, showed them in several press conferences in violation of the new police laws, which had entrusted this job exclusively to the investigation wing. “How can we stop making recoveries if we get hold of a criminal and he leads us to them (the loot),” the operational wing people would reply.

Seasoned police officers believe there are two major reasons for not leaving the recoveries. First, they say, this is the only criterion to check performance of the police and no body will like to give credit to others. Second, they believe, the recoveries involve monetary benefits.

Not only the powers to assign a case were given back to the SHO but, says the order, the investigation officer would be bound to submit his case files after the completion of investigation to the SHO. “The SHO shall prepare a final report to submit the file to a trial court through public prosecutor.”

The order says the investigation staff posted at police stations shall record their arrival and departure in the same register (Roznamcha) maintained at the police station. “No separate register shall be kept for investigation wing.”

It says the working of investigation staff located at the police stations shall be supervised by DSPs/ASPs investigation, in charge of the respective area, who shall be answerable to his own hierarchy.

“Investigation police SSP with the assistance of SPs and DSPs investigation will ensure expeditious disposal of cases and quality of investigation.”

Now question arises if the SHO is operational and administrative head of the investigation staff at police station, how come the staff will be answerable to its own hierarchy? Or what its hierarchy has been left to do? And will it not intensify the tussle between the police operation and investigation wings?

And, above all, why a new system evolved after so many controversies has been taken back to the point where from it had taken course?

SSP: “There is absolutely no pressure to re-organize the investigation wing,” the city police chief told Dawn. Even if, Mr Khwaja says, somebody from the top hierarchy wants to make such changes, he cannot because administrative matters are involved.

The police chief said the changes were made after discussion in marathon meetings and with a prior approval of IGP Masud Shah.

“There is no other objective behind the changes but convenience of the people and a quick response to them,” he said, adding people had to search for the separate investigation centres.