Rs10 billion welfare budget approved for Sindh police

President Asif Ali Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah have approved a welfare budget of Rs10 billion on the proposal of provincial police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon.

Officials said on Saturday that recently President Zardari chaired a meeting, which was attended by the chief minister, IGP Memon and others.

The meeting discussed various issues, including the law and order and welfare of the police.

Memon proposed a welfare plan for his force, including health insurance measures for the employees of the police department, as he gave a briefing on departmental matters and initiatives related to police insurance. He said the police would send a recommendation to the Sindh government to introduce health insurance for all police officers and personnel across Sindh from July 1. He said health insurance would provide best and quality health facilities to the police personnel.

The meeting was informed that the health insurance facility would be available in 797 hospitals in the country, 145 in Sindh and 87 hospitals in Karachi alone. In addition, the focal person of the Sindh Police will be deployed in each hospital to guide the personnel.

The president and the CM have approved the proposal for health insurance of Rs4.9 billion, and medical insurance for one million families of the Sindh police will be given via State Life Insurance. Afterwards, beneficiaries, including police officers, their family members and parents, can be treated at any private hospital.

Moreover, a budget of Rs2 billion has also been approved by the Sindh government for the development of the police. IGP Memon informed the meeting that there were 1,800 vehicles which were 10 years old, upon which the government approved 1,800 vehicles for the department and they would be added to the department within three years and old vehicles would be replaced.

The government has also okayed a budget of another Rs2 billion for the development that includes renovation of police quarters and construction of new houses for the police officers.

IGP Memon told the meeting that there were 8,000 police quarters that had to be repaired and about 200 police stations that had to be rebuilt. The government has now approved the budget and also decided to construct 5,000 new homes for the police officers from the ranks of inspector to constable. Moreover, the government has approved on a recommendation of the IGP that a cadet college be established for the children of police officers and employees.

He said they were preparing a policy and would propose a decrease in the number of police stations in Sindh and increase the budget of existing the police stations that could help them in making policing much effective and helpful for the public and in controlling crime.

Moreover, all SHOs will be responsible for fixing the affairs of their respective police stations and they had declared war on narcotics and drug dealers. Also, drug trafficking will not be tolerated under any circumstances. No special party or tout will be tolerated at the police station level.

The meeting discussed proposals related to reforms and upgradation of the investigation and legal department of the Sindh police and gave necessary instructions for further improvement in all matters.

The IGP said that we have to provide protection to the complainant and witnesses with the aim of making evidence effective in cases like investigation of cases and ensuring successful logical conclusion of cases. He added that the police department intended to recruit 400 prosecutors.

He said that these prosecutors, together with the investigating officer of the police, would strengthen and make all the issues related to the successful completion of the cases strong and effective.