 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
|
 |
| Swat police back in action |
|
|
|
Cops start wearing trousers
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
By Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: Almost a hundred per cent increase has been reported in the attendance of Swat Police during the past one week as the entire force resumed wearing trousers that they had stopped following threats from Taliban.
Nine old and five newly established police stations were made properly functional with the establishment of four new sub-divisional offices of the police to restore peace in the valley. As many as 680 cops were performing duty in Swat till last week after several hundred had deserted the force due to Taliban threats.
On Tuesday, their number rose to 1,225 with traffic police returning to duty on roads to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and help guide the arriving convoys of IDPs.“The morale is high. I think we have the best cops in Swat, but they just need to be commanded well,” the deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Malakand, Muhammad Idrees Khan, told The News. He said that among 1,225 cops, 250 were from the FRP while 97 had been drawn from the Elite Police Force.
Idrees was posted as DIG Malakand to improve the law and order situation in the troubled division, which deteriorated in the absence of a DIG for the past many months.Known as a brave officer, Idrees performed well against terrorists in another volatile division, Kohat, in recent months for which he was awarded the first-ever Chief Minister’s Award.
“Five more police stations were established, while the number of sub-divisions in Swat has been increased from three to seven. This will also increase the number of DSPs. Apart from this, two SPs operation would also be appointed in the district to monitor the law and order,” said Idrees.
DIG Idrees said the entire Swat valley had been connected through wireless while 14 new vehicles and eight armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were provided to the force. “The cops in Swat were wearing shalwar qameez after Taliban threatened them against wearing trousers. Now we have ensured that all would wear trousers as it is part of discipline,” he said.
The officer said that the visit of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Malik Naveed Khan to the Khwazakhela and Kabal police stations boosted the morale of the personnel of the force. “The IGP gave promotion to a number of brave cops, besides inaugurating the martyrs’ monument at the Police Lines. This did a great job in boosting morale of our cops,” Idrees said.
He praised his cops as well as the public and local representatives. He went on to say that local MPAs were doing a great job in helping the police and Army in restoration of peace in the violence-hit Malakand.
“The local people, who are fed up with the Taliban, on Tuesday along with the cops held seven militants and snatched weapons from them. They are now coming out openly against the terrorists who have made life miserable for them,” the officer added.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
