APROPOS of the letter, 'Police and war on terror' (June 7), I do not subscribe to the idea that officers like SHO, ASP, DSP, SP, DIG and IG should be appointed for a specific period of at least three years. It goes without saying that the police department is infested with the abscess of corruption and intoxication of power to the extent that policemen have been found having no qualms to do anything inhuman for the cause of money.

As admitted by a senior police officer, the department has produced more dacoits in police uniform than hardened criminals produced by society. This specific period of posting for three years would give them a kind of licence to rule the public without fear of being dislodged from the post.

Further, tt does not stand to any reason that an SHO or DPO should be allowed to work to complete his tenure even if he fails to subdue the epidemic of crime in his area. Therefore, the transfer/posting should be underpinned on administrative grounds according to the demands of the situation.

Corruption, maladministration and distance from professionalism are basic causes of why the police remain an object of criticism. Basically, the recruitment of police is of three kinds constables, ASIs and ASPs. Constables are recruited by the department taking their examinations, both physical and written, and interviews. ASIs and ASPs are appointed through provincial and federal public service commissions, respectively.

Except the ASPs, who are inducted through the CSS, transparency in recruitment for constables and ASIs is highly questionable. In fact, the examination for recruitment of constables is only limited to papers. Candidates come through politicians who distribute vacancies among their partymen. Those who don't have political connections need to pay money to the agent to get the job.

The normal rate for a constable's vacancy ranges from Rs80,000 to Rs100,000. The process of giving bribes does not stop till acquisition of job only. It permeates police training centres as well. Instructors, who do not have any other source of corruption resort to extorting money from trainees by one way or the other.

There is an unwritten law in training centres that every trainee has to pay his platoon commander/instructor Rs500 to Rs1,000 as the latter's monthly pocket money. Those who show unwillingness are persecuted during physical training and eventually have to recourse to pay him out of compulsion.

To get leave during training days is virtually impossible, no matter how great a trainee's emergency may be. But mere payment of Rs200 to Rs500 a day to the Line Officer works out to make the impossible a possible. Thus, policemen are indoctrinated to be corrupt at their training centres.

It does not end here. Corruption continues unabated in high headquarters that are no exception where a policeman must bribe clerks to move his file for his legal right/work, i.e. transfer, positing, honorarium, award, promotion, inquiry etc. If he does not bribe the clerks, the policeman has to suffer the departmental red-tapism.

There is then the notorious 'visa' system, which implies a situation when a policeman does not attend his duty for months and pays 50 per cent of his salary to the official in charge every month. This money is normally paid to the line officer who supplies the share to his seniors. The practically absent policemen are documentarily shown to be present on duty at ghost locations or reserved as standby personnel.

Besides excessive duty hours, the out-of-turn promotion is another cause of frustration, despondency and demoralisation of policemen. Such promotions are given to those who have political backing or enough money to bribe even their seniors. The justification for such promotion is the promotees' active participation in encounters or gallantry performance of duties. The question is, are policemen appointed for something other than encounters or gallantry performance?

Funds are embezzled by seniors police officers. Arrangement for fuel for police mobiles for patrolling is up to the SHO who makes it out of the blood and sweat of the common man. The entire department is enmeshed in corruption that has insidiously undermined the efficacy and efficiency of the force.

The question is, how can a policeman, who himself is victim of corruption, be just and honest to the common man?

ASLAM PERVAIZ ABRO
Ex-Investigation Officer
Sindh NAB Shikarpur