LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved additional police recruitment and new police infrastructure for the riverine areas of Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur as part of efforts to strengthen security and maintain law and order in the region.
According to an official communication, more than 600 alleged criminals have surrendered following the riverine-area operation. Authorities have also planned the establishment of 34 new police posts to maintain security in the affected areas.
The communication states that three new police stations and 16 police posts have been approved for Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur.
Local Recruitment Planned
Rahim Yar Khan currently has 333 vacant police positions, with authorities deciding to recruit local residents to fill the vacancies. Approval has also been given for 750 additional police posts in Rahim Yar Khan, with the recruitment process to be completed over a period of two years.
A further 750 new positions have been approved for Rajanpur, which will increase the strength of the district police force.
The communication emphasizes the recruitment of local residents to address staff shortages, citing the challenges faced by officers unfamiliar with the terrain and local conditions of the riverine belt.
According to the document, deploying personnel from outside the area has proved less effective because officers unfamiliar with local conditions may face difficulties in carrying out policing duties in the region.
Focus on Rojhan
The communication also highlights what it describes as lower representation of police personnel from Rojhan tehsil in Rajanpur. It notes that candidates from Jampur tehsil have a comparatively larger share of representation in the police force, while Rojhan has remained underrepresented.
Authorities plan to use local recruitment to strengthen policing capacity in the riverine belt, with the stated objective of improving security and maintaining peace through a force familiar with the area, its terrain and local communities.