RAWALPINDI, Sept 20: For the recruitment of 4,000 ex-army men in the police force, the Punjab home department has asked the district police chiefs across the province to separate their applications for the post of constable from the fresh candidates during regular recruitment.

All the Additional Inspector Generals (AIGs) of police have been directed to send a list of the ex-military applicants from which the posts of constable would be filled. The selected candidates would be posted with the Punjab Constabulary (PC) on a one-year contract to meet the shortage of reserve police force.

A senior police officer who had been close to the recruitment process said that the candidates selected would have to go through fitness tests and after an interview, they would be selected as constables.

As many as 13,413 candidates had applied for the posts of constables in Rawalpindi division, though the recruitment process was later suspended temporarily. Of these, 210 ex-army men, 74 minorities’ and 194 ladies had applied for the post of constables.

The applications of the 210 ex-army men are being sent to the home department Punjab for perusal in line with the government’s orders to complete the recruitment in the next two weeks.

The senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said: “The regular candidates should not be concerned about the induction of ex-army men in the police force since the fresh candidates would be selected for the regular posts.”

He further said: “Shortage of the reserve police force would be overcome by the recruitment of ex-army men. The candidates who have applied for the regular police force would be called once the recruitment resumes.”