Police need 20,000 more personnel, Punjab Assmebly told.

LAHORE -- If the 1934 Police Act is taken as a benchmark, the Punjab police need another 20,000 officials to meet the law and order requirements in the province, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat told the provincial assembly.

Responding to questions about the home department, he said according to the Act, a policeman is required for every 450 people. According to those calculations, 20,000 more people are required in the province and the government is in the process of recruiting them.

The house was also told that currently the Child Protection and Welfare Bureaus (CPWBs) were working in eight (Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan) districts and the government has plans to extend them to 13 more (Kasur, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Chakwal, Jehlum, Vehari, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Pakpattan, Rajanpur, Layyah, Jhang and Muzaffargarh) districts in the first phase of expansion. Budgetary allocations have already been made in the current fiscal.

In the second phase, Attock, Chiniot, Khanewal, Khushab, Lodhran, Mandi Bahaudin, Narowal, Nankana Sahib, Okara, Shekhupura, Toba Tek Singh and Bahawalnagar would be included in the tally. All these districts have been made part of the annual development programme (ADP) and sent to the planning and development department. Construction would start as soon as money starts flowing, he said.

Law minister concedes that kite-flying ban being violated; CPWBs in 13 districts in phase-I

The minster also conceded that kite-flying ban was still being violated in different parts of the city despite police forming raiding parties and combing areas in the precincts of all 83 police stations in Lahore. However, the police are chasing violators and regularly booking them for violations.

The house also...