ATTOCK, April 25: Due to lack of supervision by high-ups and government functionaries, the Attock police seem to be in disarray and have been ignoring rules and responsibilities. As a result, crime situation in the district has worsened, it has been learnt.

No procedure is being followed in the appointment of SHOs in the district, whereas three posts of DSPs are yet to be filled. So much so, even the Punjab chief minister’s directives to transfer 83 police officers out of the district are not being taken seriously.

Recently, sub-inspector (SI) Mohammad Khan of Pindigheb police was appointed as SHO of the area in place of his senior, Inspector Saad Anwar.

According to sources, in the recent past, all SIs working as SHOs had been replaced with inspectors on the directives of the inspector general of police, Punjab. The IG had ordered that only an officer having a minimum rank of inspector could be made SHO as per Police Order 2002.

There are 28 inspectors in the district, out of whom 12 are working as SHOs in 12 of the 13 police stations.

When contacted, DPO Inayatullah Farooq said there was a provision in the police rules under which any SI having completed an advance course could be made an SHO.

He said some other districts of the Punjab had also SI-rank SHOs.