LAHORE, Jan 21: All field police officers have been directed to check the postings of those police officials who are not performing their duty in spite of drawing salaries from the department, Dawn has learnt.

There are 22,650 constables and head-constables at the disposal of six divisional superintendents of police (SPs), six investigation SPs, one SP (headquarters), one SP (Mujahid squad), one SP (crimes record office), one SP (organised crime), one SP (security), one SP (community liaison officer), one SP (coordination), one SP (VVIP security) and SPs (security division II & III).

Police sources told Dawn that Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Pervez Rathore wrote a letter to SPs which states: “…a larger number of police officials from the rank of constables to head-constables are in Lahore police on papers, but actually not available for police duties.”

The letter states that with the collision of OSI branches and establishment branch, such police personnel are engaged in their own private business/activities and shown on duty by moharrars etc.

The CCPO directed police officers to complete the work in a fortnight and submit a report to his office mentioning the name, number and place of posting of the officials absent from their place of postings.

Sources say no less than 2,000 constables and head-constables, out of a total of 22,650, are thought to be involved in the practice.

They said most of the lower-ranking officials got posted at police stations and other offices in connivance with the OSI, establishment branch and moharrars of the police stations. The sources said such officials submitted half of their salaries to their senior officials’ staff as a gratification.

However, a field police officer disagreed with the direction and claimed that there was no justification for the action as the moharrars and staff of the OSI and establishment branch had accurate and complete record of those officials who were at the disposal of the Lahore police.