RAWALPINDI: Around 178 wireless sets and 340 other accessories allotted to police officers/officials have been found missing in the Rawalpindi district.

This has jeopardised the police working and communications, especially in provision of protection to sensitive installations and VVIP movements.

Taking notice of the matter, SSP telecommunication department wrote to the divisional and district police chiefs to recover the wireless sets and register criminal cases against the officers/officials on the charges of breach of trust and negligence.

The wireless sets were found missing after a physical checking of the equipment carried out by a special team in mid-December.

Action ordered against officials who did not return the sets to communication dept upon their transfer/retirement

In a letter to the regional police officer (RPO) and the city police officer (CPO) Rawalpindi, the police telecommunication department said the wireless sets allotted to officers and officials were not deposited back in the wireless department after their transfer to other districts or upon their retirement.

The police have now been asked to give clearance certificates to all outgoing officers and officials only after they return all the equipment and other accessories allotted to them. In case of non-compliance, an FIR should be registered against them for the breach of trust.

In Rawalpindi district’s Potohar Division, 99 wireless sets and 184 chargers were allotted to officials of 12 police stations. However, none of the equipment was returned to the department.

Of the 99 wireless sets, 24 were missing from the Civil Lines police station, seven each from Airport and Taxila police stations and 13 each from R.A. Bazaar and Westridge police stations.

In Rawal Division, 49 wireless sets and 115 chargers were found missing. Of these, 13 sets were found missing in New Town police station, 11 in Gunjmandi, nine in Sadiqabad, three in Pirwadhai, one each in Waris Khan and Ratta Amral and two in Banni police stations.

In Saddar Division, 30 wireless sets and 41 charges were found missing. Of these, 14 were missing from Murree police station, four each from Kotli Sattian and Chuntra and five from Rawat police stations.

The SSP telecommunication had asked the concerned SPs of Rawalpindi district to order all the moharirs and treasury units to provide details of the wireless sets.

A senior police official told Dawn that the missing of such a large number of wireless sets was a serious issue which should not be taken lightly.

“The missing wireless sets can fall into the hands of terror groups who can use them to watch the police working as well as VVIP movements,” he said.

Though the divisional and district police chiefs have been asked to recover the missing wireless sets and take legal action against the officers/officials for not deposing them in the department, so far no initiative has been taken by the police.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2018