NWFP: Senior cops refuse posting in Frontier

[Naveed Yaseen]

by Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: The Frontier government and senior police authorities have approached seasoned cops across the country for posting in the NWFP against senior positions but a majority of them has turned down the offer, sources revealed.

Realising the fact that the Frontier province is really short of senior police officers to maintain peace in the troubled areas, top bosses of the force have approached a large number of cops who are enjoying good reputation but are presently serving out of the province.

“Those who have been approached by senior officers, include policemen serving in Punjab, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP), Islamabad Police and many other forces,” a source confided to The News, adding that they were offered even posting of their choice in the Frontier with one-step shoulder promotion.

The officers, who were approached by the NWFP government authorities and senior policemen, included a few officers of the rank of additional inspector general (AdIG) and deputy inspector general (DIG) while the rest were senior superintendents of police (SSPs) and SPs.

To the utter disappointment of the government and public of the troubled Frontier, almost all the officers have refused to return to their native province, citing different reasons. A large number of police officers have left NWFP during the past few years for Punjab Police, NH&MP, FIA, Frontier Constabulary, Islamabad Police, Balochistan Police, UN missions, diplomatic postings and other forces while a very few have reported to the Frontier during the course of time. Many are desirous of posting out of the Frontier even in the coming future.

One could gauged the scarcity of seasoned cops in the province from the fact that several policemen have been given shoulder promotion to get them posted as district police officers (DPOs) and even senior positions. Shoulder promotion culture was already there in NWFP but the shortage of officers has further encouraged the trend in the past couple of years.

“The Frontier Police have sent requisition to the federal government to transfer many of senior cops in other forces and provinces to NWFP to improve the law and order situation. We are short of senior policemen and that was why juniors have been posted against senior positions,” admitted a senior police officer, wishing not to be named.

The NWFP is probably the only province where Grade 19 officers have served against Grade-21 positions of Ad IGs. Even presently, Grade 20 officers are posted against the senior positions of AdIGs, Grade 19 officers as DIGs and Grade 17 officers as DPOs and SP, investigation.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=174552