SC directs IGP to improve working quality of capital police.

Byline: Nasir Iqbal

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan to improve the quality of working of the police, ensure law and order and safeguard the life and properties of the residents.

'No amount of negligence should be tolerated and if anybody in the police department is found neglecting his duties, he should immediately be dealt with and if found guilty appropriate penalty be imposed upon him,' ordered Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

The chief justice was heading a two-judge bench that had taken up a criminal appeal against the April 13, 2020, Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict in a land grabbing case in which one person was killed and four others were wounded.

'If any police official is found indulging in criminal activities, a criminal case should be registered against him in addition to the departmental inquiry against the delinquent police official,' the apex court ordered.

'We may emphasise that it is the constitutional right of the people that their life and properties are saved and protected by the State and such State functionaries include the police officials,' explained the chief justice.

The order came after IGP appeared before the apex court on Tuesday and apprised it of certain complaints against investigating officer Tasadduq Hussain. The IGP said his office had taken cognizance of the complaint against the police officer facing allegations of dereliction of duty in probing the murder in the land grabbing case.

The IGP assured the court that he would personally examine the case and in case the investigating officer was found to have committed negligence or misconduct, he would face departmental inquiry.

During the hearing, the court told the IGP that investigation of a crime was a specialised subject in which the investigation officers were required to be fully trained and equipped.

Therefore, the Police Training Centre should hire services of qualified professionals for imparting...