Punjab Police get over 1000 biometric devices to arrest outlaws

Lahore: Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) has handed over 1000 biometric devices to Punjab Police enabling them to verify and arrest proclaimed offenders, criminals and terrorists on spot.

It was stated by the Chairman PITB Dr. Umar Saif while speaking on the eve of distribution of devices among police officers of Lahore, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Gujranwala regions at Arfa IT Tower on Thursday. The remaining regions i.e. Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Sahiwal and Rawalpindi will get devices today on Friday.

Dr. Saif said that all the 709 police stations of Punjab equipped with the latest portable Biometric machines directly linked to the NADRA System would be able to use them at police station, check posts and during raids. He said “though devices are user friendly, 80 junior police officers from across the province had got training from PITB to be master trainers who would further train the staff to be deputed to operate the machines.

The devices will also be linked to the record of Fourth Schedulers and habitual criminals. The system had already been tested during the Cricket matches played between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Qaddafi Stadium Lahore, after which it is being extended to the entire Punjab on special instructions of the Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif”. As per demand submitted by the Inspector General of Police Punjab, Lahore District got the lion’s share i.e. 103 devices while Faisalabad and Counter Terrorism Department got 50 each.

The remaining districts got as Rawalpindi & Multan 41each, Gujranwala 40, Rahim Yar Khan 37, Sialkot 35, Sargodha 32, Gujrat 30, Bahawalpur & Mianwali 29 each, Kasur 27, Muzaffargarh 26, Attock & Bahawalnagar 24 each, Sheikhupura, Okara & D.G. Khan 23 each, Jhang, Sahiwal, Rajanpur & Vehari 21 each, Khanewal 20, Bhakkar 16, Norowal 14, Jhelum & Chakwal 13 each, Pakpattan 12, Nankana, Mandi Baha-ud-Din, Toba Tek Singh & Chinot 11 each, Hafizabad & Lodhran 10 each, Khushab 9 and Layyah 8 devices. Moreover 50 devices are kept as reserved stock while Special branch has also got 10 devices.