MULTAN: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Thursday inaugurated ‘Police Mobile Khidmat Markaz Van’ which will facilitate the citizens by providing them necessary updates about 13 services.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at the Circuit House, the chief minister lauded the key initiative of the Punjab police which would provide round-the-clock redress of citizens’ complaints. He said the service would be extended to other districts.

“The idea behind launching this service is that the people would not have to travel long distances to get their issues solved,” he said.

He said the police were being strengthened on modern lines. He said the service would not only facilitate the masses but it would also help control crime.

He said the plan to change the police culture was being implemented and model police stations were being established in this regard. He said hiring was being made in the police department to improve the law and order situation and curriculum was being improved for police training colleges and centres.

“Police training centre in Multan has been upgraded to college and a deputy inspector general rank officer is being deployed at the post of its commandant,” he said. He said the police should improve their behaviour while dealing with the public.

The chief minister was briefed that the facilities of vehicle clearance certificate, missing documents, character certificate, general police verification, copy of the FIR, driving learners print, inter-district driving licence, international driving licence, enrolment of house rent cases, enrolment of domestic workers, information of crime and legal aid to the women victims of violence would be provided to the public.

He was informed that the van would be linked with all the police stations across the district and it would be stationed at important places. Its monthly schedule would be released so that the public could get their relevant information near their doorstep.

WEAPON PRICE: The Punjab police have decided to charge the price of a stolen weapon from the police employee concerned.

According to a notification issued by the Additional Inspector General Logistic on March 1, ‘upon receipt of frequent letters from the field units regarding recovery of amount in lieu of misplaced/lost/stolen official weapons, a committee was constituted to determine the amount to be recovered from the delinquent officers/officials keeping in view market rate value of weapons’.

It stated that on the recommendation of the committee the competent authority has approved the rates for weapons that will be recovered from the police staff after completing codal formalities in accordance with police rules.

As many as 23 weapons have been mentioned in the list and their prices range between Rs150 and Rs360,000.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2019