LAHORE: Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) officers, whose majority prefers to work in Punjab because of relatively better law and order situation, desire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) like powers for their IGP so that he can select his team without any political pressure.

The KPK government had, on August 1 last, changed the Police Order 2002, a law given to the country by the Musharraf regime, allowing full autonomy to police.

In Punjab, it is the chief minister who interviews and selects officers for the field and administrative posts apparently on the recommendations of the IGP. The Punjab government bureaucracy says there is nothing wrong with the chief minister`s selection because he is the chief executive of the province and has the right to select his team.

`He is responsible for everything done in the province and,therefore, has the constitutional right to select officers for administrative and field force,` a senior of ficial of the Services and General Administration says.

Many senior level PSP officers say since police is a command force, it should not have two bosses.

If it does have, officers will look towards the big boss and ignore the actual commander.

The officers who talked to Dawn and did not like to be named want Sections10,14,15,16,16(4),17,20and 20 (2) of the KPK Police Ordinance 2006 replicated in Punjab if, they say, anyone wants police to deliver and hold IGP responsible for any failure.

Section 10 says administration of police in the province shall vest in the provincial police (PPO) officer who shall exercise such powers and perform such functions and duties and shall have such responsibilities as may be provided by or under this ordinance, or any other law for the time being in force.

Section 15 says the term of officeof the PPO shall not be less than two years from the date of his posting.

Section 16 (4) provides that notwithstanding anything contained in other laws or rules for the time being in force, the PPO shall transferand postofhcersupto the rank of additional inspector general in the police establishment throughout the province andissue notincation thereof.

Section 20(1 and 2) says the PPO may post a police officer not below the rank of DIG as the Capital City Police Officer in capital city district and a police officer not below the rank of SSP as district police officer (DPO)in district .

The term of the DPO and CCPO shall not be less than two years and not more than three years from the date of his posting unless transferred earlier due to exigency of service or misconduct. Section 23 says the transfer will be made by the PPO.

Now, the police officers in Punjab claim, the PPO or the IGP in the province is not independentto post or transfer officers. IGPs too are transferred when deemed fit by the political leadership. IGP Khan Beg was transferred six months prior to retirement when he had served just for one year at the post.

Similarly, Mr Javaid Iqbal, considered to be one of the few best ever IGPs, could serve here only for one year and was changed reportedly for his desire to go by the book.

Theofhcerssaythereisnotenure for any police official, right from the AIG to an SHO. They can be changed anytime even without any cogent professional reason.

Nankana has had four DFOs in the last two years. An official changed after a major law and order incident is serving as DPO somewhere else.

The average tenure of almost all SHOs in the province is four months.

Bahawalpur DPO Shariq Kamal was removed after he raided the `dera`of an MNA. He had served there hardly for four months and was cleared of any illegality by a two-member inquiry team.The result, they say, is the ratrace to keep those who matter happy rather than to handle law and order professionally, and to respect the chief commander, the IGP. Those who don`t have any means to have the backing of the real powers, lose heart and save their skin whenever it is required to deliver without caring for it.

The ofHeerssayincidentslike the Model Town in which low ranking officials were held responsible for the killing of PAT workers have demoralized the force. In Rajanpur recently, a mob angry over robberies burnt the vehicles of some police officers, including that of the DPO, and it was witnessed with restraint while keeping in view the consequences of the Model Town episode.

The police officials say that the IGP gives a panel of three officers for a post, also quoting their credentials and suitability. But the decision is made also on the reports prepared by IB and Special Branch.