ISLAMABAD: The capital police have constituted several committees under the supervision of the deputy inspector general (DIG) security division to conduct a test for the selection of officials for the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission.

A test conducted for the peacekeeping mission in January was cancelled after a number of candidates lodged complaints with the inspector general of the police (IGP) that some officers obliged their blue-eyed boys in the test.

In response, IGP Tariq Masood Yasin ordered an inquiry which found the allegations true, police officials stated.

The previous test was supervised by the officers of the Police Lines Headquarters. But after the allegations, the IGP asked the DIG security to supervise the process.

The SSP and SP headquarters have been made responsible for all the logistics arrangements and deployment of supporting staff in addition to the installation of a sound system in the auditorium and video recording and security arrangements.

SP Jameel Ahmed Hashmi was asked to assist the DIG security, Waqar Ahmed Chauhan.

According to a letter issued from the office of the DIG, it was decided that the test would commence on March 29. “Moreover, to ensure transparent selection of the officials, five committees have been constituted.

They would be responsible for the selection assessment, conducting the driving, firing tests, etc. It may be mentioned that after a gap of three years, the process to select police officials for the UN mission has started again. In 2014, the interior ministry imposed a ban on police participation in the UN missions abroad. The ban was lifted in 2016.

The criteria for the selection of the officials were prepared by the National Police Bureau. The capital police have been allotted a quota of 40 seats.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2017