LARKANA: Sindh`s Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon has said he believes police should have provided protection to schoolteacher, Sadaf Haslo, before she was murdered by her fiancé, a police official, on April 7 over her reluctance to marry him.

He told media persons after appearing in Sindh High Court`s Larkana circuit bench in connection with Sadaf Haslo`s case that Sukkur DIG was conducting an inquiry into the case, and the officers who failed to provide security to Sadaf and her family would face action once the probe report had been finalised.

Another police team headed by Larkana DIG had been formed,which included the SP CTD and SSP Qambar-Shahdadkot, to investigate the case. The Larkana DIG was also authorised to take in any officer of his choice in his team, which was making all out efforts to arrest the fugitive murdersuspect,he said.

He said that a reward of Rs2.5 million had been announced for information on the suspect. The money had been transferred from the IGP`s office to SSP QambarShahdadkot`s and would be given to the informant, he said.

He said that they were fully committed to standing by Sadaf Haslo`s family. Of course, no amount of compensation could make up for a lost life and the least police could do was to ensure the suspect was arrested soon, he said, adding his job had already been terminated.`We are trying to provide maximum resources to police stations.

Sindh is the only province where budgets are allocated directly to police stations, and police personnel and their families are provided health insurance to strengthen the police force,` he told the court.

The Sindh government and Sindh Police aimed to empower police stations. Many police stations had been built in the province over the years and he believed the number of stations should be reduced, he said.

He said that a re commendation had been sent to the government to reduce the current 618 police stations to 485, and close down the redundant stations. The staff from those stations would be appointed to other stations to enhance authority of SHOs, he said and added they also wantedto equip police stations with modern technology and weapons, which would be distributed accordingly.

He said that all SSPs were not the same performance-wise.

Many SSPs were doing excellent job and were hence highly appreciated by public. Thanks to the SSPs good performance, crime in their districts had reduced, and criminals received tough resistance, he said.

`We believe SSPs in the range shouldbe appointed after careful consideration, and efforts are on to appoint the best SSPs in all districts within the range,` he said.

Earlier, the IGP briefed the court about the actions taken by police in maintaining law and order and assured that the police were committed to restoring peace.