Crash-training programmes for investigation officers, CCTV cameras to be installed at important places
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high-level meeting at the CM Secretariat on Thursday, which reviewed in detail the law and order situation across the province, especially in Lahore. The meeting also took a number of important decisions for eradication of crimes and improving efficiency of the police department.
It was decided that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) will hold a meeting to review the law and order situation across the province on a daily basis, whereas the CM will preside over a similar meeting on a weekly basis.
Different committees were formed during the meeting with the aim of improving the performance of police, and the provincial chief secretary was given the task of assigning responsibilities to the heads of these committees. The committees have been given the responsibility of coming up with a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the performance of the police department.
The plan evolved for improving police efficiency will be implemented initially as a pilot project in five big cities of the province including Lahore and later its scope will be extended to the whole province.
Addressing the meeting, the CM said that nothing was more important than the maintenance of law and order and protection of life and property of the citizens, hence, improving the police department was one of the top priorities of the Punjab government and all-out resources were being utilised for this purpose. He said that a number of steps were taken in this connection, including capacity building of police, improving various sectors, eradication of crimes, launching of vigorous campaign against proclaimed offenders involved in heinous crimes, introducing a strict system of reward and punishment, improvement the traffic system, introduction of reforms at police station level as well as establishment of conciliation committees.
Shahbaz said that incidents of crimes should be investigated on scientific lines so that the culprits could not escape punishment. He also issued instructions to the Prosecution Department to chalk out a crash-training programme for investigation officers, adding that an effective mechanism should also be devised for the follow-up of crime cases.
The CM further directed that 20 important markets and roads of the city should be identified and CCTV cameras be installed there.
Separately, while addressing an international seminar on energy problems in South Asian countries organised by the Institution of Engineers Pakistan at a local hotel on Thursday, Shahbaz said that the victory in the struggle for development and prosperity could not be achieved with guns and bullets but through weapons of economy like research and technology.
He said that the neighbouring countries will have to make collective efforts for the elimination of poverty, ignorance and unemployment from the region. He said that the goal of progress and development could be achieved only through improvement of bilateral relations and joint efforts.
(Daily Times)
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