APCs, 4G mobile phone call locator system: IGP directs senior command to follow up summaries for procurement

LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani has directed the senior command to vigorously follow up summaries sent to the government for procurement of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and 4G mobile phone call locator system, the technology that had once been in the exclusive use of intelligence agencies. The IG passed these directions while presiding over a high-level meeting held at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Tuesday to follow up pending summaries of the police department. While instructing the wings of establishment, legal, logistics, Special Branch and the Counter- Terrorism Department (CTD) to address objections raised by the government in the summaries as soon as possible, the IG said directed the heads of these wings to arrange talks if needed for the approval of the documents.

He said the decision to set up the District Reconciliation Committees (DRCs) and the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) is a good move and for its approval, the AIG Establishment and the DIG Legal should keep a close coordination with Law Minister Raja Basharat and other concerned offices whereas all possible steps should be taken for early approval of the summaries regarding filling the vacant slots of SP Complaints across Punjab. The provincial police chief during the meeting gave the procurement task of APCs and 4G mobile phone call locators to the AIG Logistics and said he would ensure liaison with the concerned departments while the DIG Traffic shall ensure follow-up for approval of summary of amendments in the Transport Bill 2020. While reviewing the progress on the summaries sent for expansion of PHP posts and procurement of new transport vehicles, the IG said they should be completed as soon as possible and approved another summary related to the deployment of "research officers" in the Special Branch. He said the summaries sent by the CTD for improvement in the pay package of psychologists, criminologists and other employees should also be approved as early as possible. During the meeting, all the heads of establishment, welfare and finance, Special Branch, Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP), Special Protection Unit (SPU), logistics and procurement and other departments and units briefed the IG on their summaries.

The meeting was attended by AIG Establishment Punjab Azhar Hameed Khokhar, AIG Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) Rao Sardar, AIG Logistics and Procurement Ali Amir Malik, AIG PHP Shahid Hanif, AIG Training Kanwar Shah Rukh, AIG Elite Force Farooq Mazhar, AIG Operations Sahibzada Shehzad Sultan and AIG Special Branch Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh besides other officers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021