Law enforcers in dire straits

Makeshift housing arrangements and cold meals demoralising personnel

Islamabad: Going into Faisal Mosque’s main compound from the ablution area, one sees police uniforms and other clothes hanging on tenterhooks. Queues of floor bedding on both sides of the passage can be seen, even under the shades of the terrace of the mosque.

One can also see the Rangers and Frontier Constabulary personnel in green belts, along main highways where they have also erected tents to avoid the brunt of the harsh weather.

These are the personnel of Sindh Police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC), called in by the Federal Government, to guard Islamabad against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) long march. They are kept in inadequate, or rather, sub-human conditions for well over a month, which has resulted in demoralising the personnel.

Following the announcement of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, at the beginning of October that he would be bringing tens of thousands of people in the ‘Long March’ to the capital, the government started taking precautionary measures to counter the charge.

The interior ministry sought reserve force from Punjab, for the very purpose, but the Punjab government refused to oblige on the pretext that their police were engaged in the rehabilitation of flood-affected people.

However, the Sindh government sent around 2,000 personnel, while another 900 recruits were also placed at the disposal of the federal government. However, Islamabad Police spokesman Taqi Jawad said that some of the officials of Sindh Police were sent back following the delay in the PTI ‘Long March’. He told Bol News that Sindh Police were housed in Islamabad police lines, and at Covid Centre in F-9 Park.

The conditions in which the personnel are placed are not satisfactory either. An official in the ministry of interior said the collective number of Sindh Police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC) stands at 20,000. Joined by Islamabad police, the strength of law enforcement agencies becomes 30,000 personnel, sufficient to guard the capital.

He said that besides Faisal Mosque, Rangers and FC personnel were also housed at Haji Camp. The community halls available in Islamabad and other government buildings are also being utilised to accommodate them.

A Sindh police official who hails from Sukkur, said that he was staying in Islamabad for the past 45 days. Initially, they were kept in Police Lines but later, were moved to Faisal Mosque.

He further said that most of his colleagues got sick due to severe cold since the last rain spell that brought the temperatures down considerably, making it extremely difficult to stay under shade or even in a corridor.

Though the personnel are provided with cooked meals, the standard of food provided to them is not good, it is almost frozen when it reaches them; as they don’t have any heating facility, at the mosque.

A Frontier Constabulary cop cosying up in the sunshine on Srinagar Highway said that his platoon was deployed here 10 or 12 days back and they spent their nights in the containers brought here to block the roads.

He, too, complained about the poor quality of food provided to them. He said that they have portable gas stove with the dual purpose of providing them warmth at night and preparing tea or heating the food provided to them.

He further stated that a large number of FC and Sindh Police officials are using the containers as their makeshift abode; on the chilly winter nights, these containers are far better than the tents.

On the other hand, the district administration officials of the city said that they are providing quality food to the security officials for which they had entered into contracts with well-reputed caterers.

They, however, admitted to not having a sufficient place to house such a big number of security personnel, and that was the reason they have been utilising the Faisal Mosque, Haji Camp and other government premises for their accommodation.

“We have also made proper arrangements for the provision of medical cover to these officials, and besides the federal government hospitals special teams of doctors are regularly visiting the compounds where security personnel are housed.”

Most of the FC or Sindh Police officials approached were reluctant to speak and those who talked did not want to disclose their identity. It was generally noted that the majority of the security officials were demoralised and wanted to go back to their home stations.

According to the official statistics, the government is spending Rs 150 million for payment of containers’ rent, and boarding and lodging of personnel of Rangers, FC, Elite Force, and Islamabad & Sindh Police.

photo: Mian Khursheed/Bol News