Police need to be put on modern lines to facilitate citizens, curb crimes

Minister for Interior, Prof Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday said in this era of innovations, police needed to adopt technologies to put the force on modern lines and curb crimes.
Addressing a Police Darbar here, he said acquiring technologies was an easy task but main thing was its appropriate usage. The maximum usage of technology would definitely ensure ease in lives of citizens and further improve performance of police.
He said besides, changing typical Thana culture, it was imperative for the police to prepare a plan of modernization within next two months and in this regard assistance from National Database and Registration Authority could be sought which had achieved excellence in Information Technology.
The Darbar was attended by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Islamabad, Sultan Azam Taimuri, officers and officials of
Islamabad police and families of police martyrs (Shuhda).
Ahsan Iqbal said the system of policing could not be improved without the participation of community and directed the IGP to introduce reforms to make Islamabad police an exemplary for others.
He said training courses of Islamabad police should be arranged with lectures from national and international experts
on modern policing so as to improve professional conduct of police.
He directed the police department to ensure people friendly attitude and pursue zero tolerance on all crimes including murders, robberies, violence, street crimes and crimes against women and children.
He said model police station project in federal capital should be expedited and be made exemplary for the rest of provinces with the sole objective to facilitate common people.
At the same time, he said the idea of community policing should be materialized while benefiting from state-of-the-art technology. The SHOs should form committees to settle small matters at the police station level.
He said the department should introduce a monthly based reward system (SHO, Junior Officer and Jawans of the month) for police officials, showing good performance and directed to formulate a framework to assess performance of police. The policemen exhibiting outstanding performance should also be given cash prizes.
The minister said role of police in society was of prime importance as no country could progress without improved law and order.
“Peace is very much important for development as is oxygen necessary for human life,” he said and added the societies having instability and insurgency could not meet the pace of progress.
Ahsan Iqbal said police were not only doing its own duty but also playing a vital role in development of the country.
He said it was the police which performed its duty day and night so that citizens could sleep without any fear.
“We are proud of the services and sacrifices of our police,” he added.
Regarding live coverage of any security operation, he requested the media to avoid because this practice risks lives of security personnel.
In this regard, he directed, IGP Islamabad to arrange a workshop with media so that a comprehensive strategy could be formed for better coverage.
He further directed the police to perform their duties following zero tolerance and try their best to support the weakest segment of society.
Moreover, he said police should also focus on their physical fitness and prove themselves as active and more responsible force.
He said police vehicles should be equipped with modern gadgets so that monitoring system under safe city project could be further strengthened.
Earlier, IGP Islamabad said an action plan was being prepared to improve performance of police within minimum time.
He assured the minister that during next three months, performance of police could be witnessed with improvement.
Moreover, Sultan Azam Taimuri said steps were being taken regarding community policing while 22 police stations of Islamabad were being computerized.
He said two facilitation centers were being established and one of them had been inaugurated. The IGP said in the first phase, five model police stations out of seven, had been completed while more model police stations would be launched next year.
He said in all police stations, system of reporting room was being improved with the sole objective to facilitate the citizens.

Source: APP