FAISALABAD: The LPG Industries Association has dispatched a list of more than 100 policemen to the city and regional police officers, alleging these officials have been receiving monthly bribe from different LPG distributors and shopkeepers.

The association sought a probe into the issue so that the police department could be purged of the such black sheep.

The association chairman, Irfan Khokar, dispatching the list (a copy available with Dawn) alleged that as many as 110 policemen of 12 police stations of Faisalabad had been receiving bribe from the shopkeepers.

He alleged that station house officers (SHOs) monthly take Rs5000 to Rs7000, ASIs Rs1000-Rs2000, guards Rs1000-2000, drivers Rs500-1000, cops on motorcycles Rs1000-2000, moharrars Rs1000-2000 and constables Rs500-1000 from the association members.

He said these policemen are posted in different police stations, including Dijkot, Thekariwala, Sargodha Road, Millat Town, Raza Abad, Nishat Abad, Saddar, Khurrianwala, Madina Town, City Samundari, Mansoorabad, Factory Area and Ghulam Muhammadabad. The association also mentioned the mobile phone numbers and designations of these policemen.

As per the complaint, Madina Town police officials are on the top of the list of allegedly corrupt policemen.

The list has also been forwarded to the deputy commissioner (DC) and the commissioner.

The association chairman mentioned in the application that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) through a letter on June 14, 2017, empowered the DCs to order the police to take action in this regard.

The association claimed its members also had video clips of the policemen receiving bribe from them.

Sources said scores of illegal petrol and diesel outlets were being run in various parts of the division with impunity without any check. However, in the police’s documents it is mentioned that action was being taken against such elements, they added.

Talking to Dawn, Ali, an LPG shop owner alleged he had been greasing the palms of policemen monthly, who in return help him to avoid arrest in case of a crackdown ordered by any senior officer. “Without the “cooperation” of local police we cannot continue our business,” he claimed.

A senior police officer said a probe into the issue would be launched to ascertain the facts as the Punjab government had zero-tolerance policy against the corrupt elements. He said after an inquiry it would be determined whether the accusations were genuine or not.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2021