LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has criticised the 10-year Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz rule in the province for increase in the crime graph.

“The PML-N government kept recruitment in the police department banned during its 10-year rule. Not a single penny was spent on the department. Shortage of police personnel and lack of patrolling led to the ilk of Chotu gang to build their bunkers,” he said during the Question Hour related to the home department as proceedings of the 34th session resumed after a break of 12 days here on Monday.

He recalled that the army had to be called in to annihilate the Chotu gang by the then PML-N government, which kept ignoring funding for the police force. Commenting on new police recruitments, he said the strength of police in Faisalabad should be in proportion to the population of the town.

Law Minister Raja Basharat told the house that the basic reason behind a hike in the (reported) crime rate was that earlier the police officers were reluctant to register cases for fear of being censured for the crimes that took place in their respective jurisdiction.

The incumbent government, he claimed, was giving an opportunity to the police to work professionally unlike in the past.

He said the present inspector-general of Punjab police had declared the ongoing calendar year as the year of maintenance and repair of police stations.

He said the police are being given new vehicles after a long time, while 97 patrol posts are being established to check crime on highways.

Responding to a query about the arrest of PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar in Gujranwala a day ago, the minister said that Mr Tarar and companions had attacked a police station and tore uniforms of policemen in Alipur Chattha.

Calling for changing the attitude of attacking law-enforcers, he said those responsible for the Alipur Chattha attack had been booked as per law.

As soon as the Question Hour was over, PML-N lawmaker Zaibun Nisa Awan pointed out a lack of quorum in the house as the chair postponed the proceedings for two days - Thursday.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2021