ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police have penalised the beat officers of two police stations by confiscating four years of their service for their alleged connections with land-grabbers and failure to combat crimes.

Police officials told Dawn that Islamabad senior superintendent of police (SSP) (operations) had directed the officials, including the station house officers and first responding officers (FRO), `to refrain from indulging in land-grabbing and money-minting practices`.

They said the SSP had asked the staff of police stations to focus on controlling crimes in their respective jurisdictions, expressing displeasure over their involvement in illegal activities.

The SSP also reportedly warned others of more strict actions in case of failure to control crimes in the city.

The senior officer also lamented police officials`lacklustre performance and ordered them to put the house in order.

`From now on, all of you should note that the S SP has seized four years of the services of beat officers of the Industrial Area and Sabzi Mandi police stations,` the directives said.

The official also pointed out the theft of 25 motorcycles from the limits of the Industrial and 13 from Sabzi Mandi police stations.

Sources said the SSP conducted an inquiry into auto thefts which revealed that the beat officers had no data on the thieves and their whereabouts.

Moreover, there was no mechanism for the recovery of stolen property as the officers allegedly had no interestin doingso,the directive stated.

The SSP asked the officers to `mend their ways with those engaged in land grabbing`.

`Everyone should make visible efforts to control snatching and motorcycle thefts,` he said.

He added that it was okay even if they at least tried and made efforts to curb the crimes.

A police officer on condition of anonymity told Dawn that the SSP inquired about the rise in crime and found that the staff of the police stations were involved in land grabbing and other corrupt practices.