LAHORE: The second batch of Quick Response Force (QRF) passed out at Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines on Tuesday, with 209 policemen completing their commando training.
Earlier, a batch of 219 policemen completed a month-long professional and physical training at the Police Lines in February this year.
The training course, which comprises combat, raids, ambush, anti ambush, repelling, weapon-handling and picket-forming and was conducted by the Elite Police Force personnel, is aimed at curbing terrorists and criminal elements through effective patrolling and picketing in high crime rate areas of the provincial capital.
At a ceremony, Capital City Police Officer Chaudhry Shafique Ahmed said the participants in the QRF were equipped with modern weapons and training would play a key role in the elimination of crime from the metropolis.
The newly passed-out batch gave a display of their rippling, ambushing, raid on terrorist den and quick action against the criminals on the occasion. The CCPO appreciated the level of efficiency and professionalism of policemen as well as their hard work and commitment.
Headquarters SP Maroof Safdar Wahla informed the CCPO that new motorcycles and uniforms had been provided to the QRF officials for patrolling. He said trained and experienced instructors of the Elite Force imparted training to the second batch.
The city police chief awarded shields, prizes and certificates to the instructors and policemen who showed outstanding performance.
According to a source six divisional SPs of the Lahore police have been getting 60 QRF officials armed with weapons and having 30 motorcycles twice or thrice a week randomly for patrolling and picketing in one sub-division of each division. The exercise, he claims, has resulted in reducing crime against property rate in the respective sub-division from 4pm to 12am.
He, however, says the regular availability of the QRF officials for crime fighting in each division can minimise crime against property up to the expectations of the police authorities and the government.
The source claimed that the QRF officials were extensively utilised by the police divisions of City, Cantonment and Civil Lines because of high crime graph in those divisions.An SHO is of the view that the QRF raised from tall and physically fit constables, who were withdrawn from police stations for training in both batches, are working under the direct command of the DIG (Operations) who dispatches them to sub-divisions according to his own requirements.
He says raising a centralised force parallel to Mujahid Squad will be another failed experience. The QRF officials must be put at the disposal of the SHOs who better know the crime pockets in their areas.He says on the one hand the motorcycles used by the police stations are out of order and awaiting funds for maintenance and fuel and, on the other, the newly-raised force is being given new motorcycles, weapons and fuel.
Another SHO acknowledges that availability of more officials on roads for crime fighting is helping the local police in controlling crime but the QRF must be decentralised to obtain optimum results.
He says the QRF was first launched around one and a half years ago and designed to act as first responders against terrorist activities and pre-terrorism raids but officials were also used for crime prevention.
(Daily Dawn)
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