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 President Zardari recently chaired a meeting attended by the Prime Minister, IGP Memon and others.

Various issues were discussed during the meeting, including law and order and police welfare.

Memon proposed a welfare plan for his troops, including health insurance measures for police personnel, while giving a briefing on department affairs 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 staff across Sindh from July 1. He said the health insurance scheme would provide the best and quality healthcare facilities to the police personnel.

During the meeting, it was informed that health insurance would be available in 797 hospitals in the country, 145 in Sindh and 87 hospitals in Karachi alone. In addition, the Sindh Police focal point will be deployed in each hospital to guide the staff.

The President and the CM have approved the Rs4.9 billion health insurance proposal and health insurance for one million families of the Sindh Police will be provided through State Life Insurance. Thereafter, the beneficiaries, including police officers, their relatives and parents, can be treated at any private hospital.

Moreover, the Sindh government has also approved a budget of Rs2 billion for police development. IGP Memon informed the meeting that there were 1,800 vehicles which were 10 years old, following 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 approved a budget of another Rs2 billion for the development, which 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 to be repaired and about 200 police stations to be rebuilt. The government has now approved the budget and has also decided to build 5,000 new homes for police officers, from inspector to constable. Moreover, on the recommendation of the IGP, the government has approved the establishment of a cadet college for the children of police officers and employees.

He said that they were preparing a policy and would propose a reduction in the number of police stations in Sindh and increase the budget for the existing police stations, which could help them make the police much more effective and useful to the public and in controlling crime.

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

The meeting discussed proposals regarding reforms and improvement of the Investigation and Legal Department of the Sindh Police and provided necessary instructions for further improvement in all cases.

The IGP said that we must provide protection to the complainant and witnesses with the aim of making evidence effective in matters such as investigation of cases and ensuring successful logical conclusion of cases. He added that the police planned to recruit 400 prosecutors.

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