LAHORE, July 9: Up to 17,000 policemen will take part in law and order and relief and rescue duties in case flooding hits Punjab districts.

This was stated by Inspector General Habibur Rehman at a meeting held at the Central Police Office on Monday.

Punjab Commandant Constabulary Ahmed Raza Tahir, Punjab Highways Patrol Additional IG Khan Baig, Punjab DIG (operations) Sohail Khan and AIG (admin) Sohail Akhtar Sukhera attended the meeting, says a handout.

The meeting reviewed arrangements for relief, identification of affected and sensitive areas, setting up of communication network, armed patrolling to keep strict check on the activities of criminal elements, proper monitoring of embankment, shifting of affected families and livestock to safe places, restoration of traffic system, establishment of relief camps and setting up of control rooms.

The police chief directed his force to assist local government authorities in preventive measures and arrange proper security for relief camps. Police will also coordinate with the control rooms set up at Irrigation Department offices and Head Works in order to ensure best arrangements for the people in the hour of need.

The meeting also decided that at least 249 wireless operators, including 38 head-constables and 211 constables equipped with 144 wireless sets, would be deployed at flood warning posts.

Around 65 special boats of the Police Department will be handed over to the local authorities in 13 districts to evacuate the people. At least 31 policemen have been deployed at the Flood Warning Control Room established in Lahore.

The police chief directed the police to remain in close liaison with the Irrigation Department, local civil authorities, Rescue-1122 and other departments so that the people could be provided best services in case of floods.

BOARD MEETING: A meeting of the Departmental Promotion Board headed by Punjab Additional IG Malik Khuda Bukhsh Awan was held at the Central Police Office on Monday.

The board decided the promotion of seven legal inspectors to the rank of DSP Legal.

Those to be promoted included: Inspector Altaf Hussain, of Police College, Sihala; Abdul Rahim and Kanwar Muhammad Qasim of Bahawalpur region; Meer Ahmed of Attockdistrict of Rawalpindi region; Shahid Siddique of City Traffic Police of Lahore; Akhtar Mahmood, of Gujrat district, and Nasir Abbas of Investigations Branch Punjab.