LAHORE: The provincial capital police department has released funds to the tune of Rs100 million to the contractor out of total 190 million allocated for the establishment of the Special Initiative Police Stations (SIPs) in Lahore region.

The department has also established division-wise committees under the supervision of the respective SPs of operations wing, making the sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs), station house officers (SHOs) and the muharrars their respective members.

The step has been initiated to ensure transparency in the utilisation of the funds released by the Punjab government for the upgrade of all 84 Lahore police stations.

The project was launched by Punjab police chief Dr Usman Anwar to convert all the 735 police stations of the province, including 84 of Lahore, into the Special Initiative Police Stations.

SIPs to eliminate ‘thana culture’

The prime objective of the project is to introduce modern technology and smart idea-based model police stations to provide citizens quick relief in order to get rid of decades-old `thana culture’ and strengthen the trust level between public and police.

For the purpose, caretaker Punjab chief minister Mohsin Naqvi allocated Rs1.9 billion, including Rs190 million (19 crore) for Lahore SIPs.

The sources say some SHOs of Lahore generated a controversy surrounding the inordinate delay in the release of funds for the establishment of the SIPs.

They also engaged some social media influencers to raise their voice, claiming that the funds allocated by the Punjab government for the establishment of 84 SIPs in Lahore were not compatible to the huge construction and renovation work.

There were also reports that a few SHOs had been transferred prematurely for showing least interest in the upgrade of their respective police stations, causing a delay in the completion of the project. However, sources said, the Lahore police high-ups dispelled the impression by holding occasional meetings exclusively on the issue of allocation and release of funds at the level of divisional SPs and SHOs.

In the recent meeting held two days back, Lahore Operations DIG Ali Nasir Rizvi updated the SPs and then DSPs and SHOs about the commitment to provide all the funds released by the Punjab government in this respect.

The DIG apprised the officers that around Rs100 (10 crore) have been released and provided to the official contractor out of the total Rs190 allocated for the establishment of all the special initiative police stations in Lahore.

Out of the total allocated amount, Rs60 million (6 crore) will go to the taxes while the rest amount of Rs30 million (3 crore) will also be released in the weeks to come.

Further talking about the scheme, the source said, the Lahore police higher authorities have made central procurement of the furniture and electronics, including cameras, LCDs, to install at all the 84 SIPs.

Two LCDs each will be installed at the lobby (the space for the citizens) and in the offices of the SHOs.

Similarly, the cameras will be installed outside the bars to monitor the activities of the suspects, in the office of the SHOs and at the front desks of the police stations.

Each police station will house a control room and Qmatic system to facilitate the citizens.

Out of the total 84 police stations, the buildings of the three police stations — Mozang, Hanjarwal and the Civil Lines — have been completed and inaugurated.

The 70 per cent of the total civil work of the rest of the buildings of the police stations is near completion, the official said.

About the delay in the release of funds, an official termed it ‘a procedural delay’ as many government departments, including AG office, required mandatory and hectic process.

Talking to Dawn, Lahore Operations DIG Ali Nasir Rizvi strongly dispelled the impression given by some SHOs regarding the delay in the release of funds for the project in-question saying, “when you go for a mega scheme you would have to be ready to face such conspiracies by people of a dirty mindset”.

He declared the SIPs a historic project of the Punjab police that would prove a game changer, saying authorities in Lahore were directly and indirectly observing and overseeing the upgrade work, leaving no room of misuse of funds.

“The SHOs have nothing to do with the construction work as the police department advertised the project and hired a contractor officially who was responsible for the upgrade of all the 84 police stations of the city”, the DIG said.

The funds were being released to the contractor and not the SHOs, he said, adding that his department has never ever directed the heads of the police stations (SHOs) to arrange money to spend on the police stations.

“When government is taking this responsibility by releasing funds then there is no reason or justification to engage the SHOs,” he said. He claimed that the Lahore police department has made over 80 per cent of the total liabilities (payment) to the contractor.

To a question about the excessive expenses incurred on the upgrade of the police stations, he said the Lahore police department would submit a request to the Punjab government through the IG office to provide Rs70 million additional amount to meet expenses.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2023