Security

KP Police brief lawmakers about counter-terrorism initiatives

By Javed Khan

KP Senior Superintendent of Police for Operations Abbas Majeed Marwat on August 24 briefs the Peshawar District Council about the law-and-order situation. [Javed Khan]

KP Senior Superintendent of Police for Operations Abbas Majeed Marwat on August 24 briefs the Peshawar District Council about the law-and-order situation. [Javed Khan]

PESHAWAR -- The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police are recording lower crime rates and fewer incidents of terrorism than they did last year, police officials say.

In accordance with the KP Police Ordinance 2016, district police officers (DPOs) have started briefing district councils throughout the province about the law-and-order situation, actions against terrorists, and reforms initiated in the police force.

Members of respective district councils attended special sessions for the briefings.

"We briefed the Kohat district council on September 7 about the progress made by the force against the terrorists under the National Action Plan [NAP] as well as recently enacted provincial counter-terrorism laws," Kohat DPO Sohaib Ashraf told Pakistan Forward, referring to the national counter-terrorism strategy launched in December 2014.

The Nazim and naib (deputy) nazim of the district government and almost all the elected councilors attended the session, he said.

"The elected members heard a detailed report about the law-and-order situation in Kohat," Ashraf said.

The DPO briefed the councilors on the KP Police Ordinance 2016 and on oversight of the police by elected bodies in accordance with the law.

"The KP Police have sacrificed the most for peace in the country, for which they deserve appreciation," Faheem Khan, a member of the Kohat district council, told Pakistan Forward. He advanced a resolution to laud the force's sacrifices.

Police need more equipment

The Kohat district council asked KP to provide more vehicles and better protective equipment to police in Kohat and in KP in general, he said.

KP Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Operations Abbas Majeed Marwat gave another briefing in Peshawar August 24.

The Peshawar district nazim, his deputy and senior police officers attended that briefing.

"We told the council of the improvement in law and order, as well as a 42% decrease in crimes against property this year compared to the same period last year," Marwat told Pakistan Forward.

Marwat also briefed the Peshawar district council about the importance of the police information network, which enables any citizen to notify police about a terrorist or hardened criminal, he said.

"Anyone providing information will be rewarded with Rs. 10,000 (US $95) to Rs. 100,000 (US $956), depending on the nature of the information and the importance of the wanted criminal or terrorist," Marwat said.

Law enforcement agencies have knocked down the rates of bombings, suicide attacks and other terrorist incidents, he said.

In recent days, KP Police have held briefings throughout the province. They intend to reach other districts soon.

Calling for more police

Officials appreciate the KP Police but would like more of them.

Recently, the Swabi district council passed a unanimous resolution seeking the recruitment of at least 500 more DPOs.

KP Police leaders are happy to see the results of the briefings that DPOs are giving in their districts.

"The briefings received a great response all over the province," the KP central police office said in a statement released August 29.

Under the KP Police Ordinance 2016, DPOs are supposed to brief their district councils at least twice a year, the statement said.

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