Profiling of policemen hits snags

ISLAMABAD, March 28: Plans to screen Islamabad police personnel for possible links with banned outfits or inclination towards militancy has run into snags for want of cooperation by the Punjab police. Sources in the capital police said the cooperation was vital as almost half of the personnel came from Punjab police that have their own ideas about the screening process. A request sent by the Islamabad police to the special branch of Punjab police in early March to verify the antecedents of the policemen from the authorities in their hometowns in Punjab was returned without any action, the sources said. Instead, after sitting over the request for three weeks, the special branch of Punjab police sent its own pro forma for the Islamabad police to act on. This, the sources feel, reflected "a non-serious attitude" of the Punjab police towards the possible presence of militants or members of banned outfits in their ranks â€" a grave and proven danger when providing security to VVIPs and VIPs. A senior police officer told Dawn that the capital police had sought help from the Punjab special branch for the security clearance and character evaluation of its personnel and sent pro forma details of over 5,000 policemen to them. However, the special branch returned the details to the capital police. A letter addressed to the SSP Islamabad on March 21 stated: "In this connection, a fresh security clearance from SB-16/1 has been received by the additional inspector general of police, special branch, Lahore, for verification of police officials." The special branch also sent its own pro forma to the capital police asking the latter to collect details of its personnel and send it back for verification. The act of the Punjab police to recollect the details and interview each and every official will take half a year, the senior officer said. He said the Punjab special branch pro forma had nothing new from the one designed by the capital police to collect details for security clearance and evaluation of its personnel. "Over two months were spent to collect the details of the personnel and comments of their senior officers with the help of the officials` native town police," the official said, adding: "But the Punjab police have spoiled our efforts by asking for the details already provided to them." The official said the process was started on the directives of authorities concerned, including the interior ministry, after the assassination of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer by one of his guards in early January. In the pro forma, besides other information, details about education in school, college, university and religious seminary, departmental punishments and details of registration of criminal case against each policeman, if any, were sought. The pro forma also asked whether the official or his/her family members got training of militancy and Jihad and had affiliation with any banned outfit.