GUJRANWALA, Jan 21: Punjab IGP Ahmed Nasim has endorsed the concern expressed by the Lahore High Court chief justice and Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi regarding the worsening law and order situation in the province.

Talking to Dawn at Ghakkhar town on Sunday, where he came to participate in `daswan’ of his mother, the IG said that he would do his utmost to come up to the expectations of the judiciary and the administration.

He said that arrests of almost all proclaimed offenders and hardened criminals, and marked improvement in law and order situation would be his top priorities. Police officers had already been directed to prepare lists of these outlaws, he said.

Mr Nasim warned that police officers failing to check crimes in their respective areas would have no place in the police force.

Earlier, Quran Khawani for the IG’s deceased mother was held at Government High School No 2 ground. A large number of people, including Additional IG Malik M. Iqbal and DIG (operations) Khadim Hussain Bhatti and other officers, were present on the occasion.