RAWALPINDI: For the first time in Punjab, Rawalpindi police have established front desks in 25 police posts with a fully integrated and online system that will resolve the issues of delay in legal action, unfair or bad behaviour of officials and illegal detentions.

Moreover, persons arrested in any case would only be detained in the lock-ups of police stations.

City Police Officer (CPO) Mohammad Ahsan Younas said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shoaib Dastgir recently inaugurated the front desks at the 25 police posts. He said the front desks will resolve public complaints and provide better services to the citizens.

The CPO said the front desks have been established at police posts Hameeda, Shah Faisal, Gulraiz, Gulzar-i-Quaid, Scheme III, Taxila City, Taxila Cantt, police posts no 3 and 4, Girja, Adiala, Ranial, Chakbeli Khan, Chakri, Industrial Area Rawat, Dhoke Amb, Daultala, Sukho, Chowk Pindori, Krore, Lehtrar, Sunny Bank, Trait and police post No. 4 Ratta Amral.

All these police posts have been equipped with computers, printers, scanners and UPS to ensure prompt service delivery to the citizens.

CCTV cameras have also been installed at the police posts.

The CPO said these posts will be able to issue e-tag on all complaints which will not only curtail the complaint of delay in legal process but will also enable senior officers to monitor any complaint and take a follow-up.

Installation of CCTV cameras will check the complaints of bad or unfair behaviour and illegal detention at police posts.

These CCTV cameras will also be monitored 24/7. The CPO said the establishment of front desks will bring a change in the culture of police working.

He said directions had already been conveyed to the police stations that arrested persons would only be detained in the lock-ups of police stations.

The CPO said the motive behind the initiative was to address public complaints promptly, ensure better service delivery and check the issue of delayed legal action.

Meanwhile, the traffic police after easing the lockdown issued 1771 challans (tickets) over violations of traffic rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the garrison city and fined the violators Rs5.64m.

A CTP spokesman said following instructions from City Traffic Officer Syed Ali Akbar, 10,812 tickets were issued on violations of SOPs, 2,068 tickets to bike riders for not wearing helmets, 138 for violating the ban on the use of cell phones while driving, 294 for driving without licence and 930 for black papers on window glasses of different vehicles.

And 365 tickets were issued for violation of one-way, 501 tickets for ignoring red signals, 504 for driving without a registration book and 477 tickets were issued on different traffic rules violations.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2020