LAHORE: Dawn has learned that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has called for the creation of a new “riot management police” (RMP) with 5,000 officers to deal with violent protests and large crowds.
The chief minister approved the summary, which was proposed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar, after he and DIG Athar Waheed informed her of the force’s importance.
The contentious Right to Peaceful Protest Act of 2024 will be used to establish the RMP.
The force would have its headquarters in Lahore and be led by a DIG-level police officer with the assistance of a superintendent of police (SP). A regional SP will lead each of its eight regional offices.
According to an official, the RMP will initially be operating in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, and Sargodha before eventually expanding to other significant districts.
According to the official, who shared information, the plan was put out by Punjab police chiefs in response to incidents that occurred on May 9, 2023, which resulted in injuries to law enforcement officers and damage to both private and public property. He added that Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) DIG Athar Waheed has drafted the 30-page draft of the proposed RMP.
Speaking about the project’s key components, he said the RMP will be one of the few law enforcement agencies in the nation with the authority to suggest penalties for protestors who cause damage to both private and public property.
The force will use trained canines to disperse crowds and be able to recommend penalties for violent protestors. The proposed wing will employ 5,000 workers who will receive specialized training in “non-lethal interventions.”
According to the scheme’s proposed legal framework, which Dawn has seen, “Attackers and organizers of violent agitations would have to pay compensation for the damage to the state and the citizens.”
The draft states that officers would receive psychological training to comprehend crowd dynamics and predict behaviors, and the police will receive instruction in non-lethal intervention techniques, communication, and negotiation strategies with protest organizers.
Regarding the equipment and other logistics, the report suggests enhanced communication systems for greater coordination between field units and command centers, as well as cutting-edge non-lethal crowd control measures like tear gas, sound cannons, rubber bullets, electric shock shields, and surveillance. The RMP would need this anti-riot gear to keep people under control and disperse them during protests and rallies.
According to the report, the new RMP will also have professionally trained dogs for the first time to assist with crowd dispersal, protester capture, and deterring illegal activity.
In addition to 650 other vehicles, like as armored anti-riot trucks, water cannons, large cranes, loader trucks, armored ambulances, and other specialized vehicles with tracking systems, the plan called for bulletproof vehicles for the additional IG and the DIG RMP Punjab.
While most protests and demonstrations in Punjab were peaceful, others turned into riots, resulting in violence, property damage, injuries, and fatalities, officials stated in their proposal’s conclusion.
