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Friday March 29, 2024

KP CTD gets seven more regions to conduct counterterrorism action

By Javed Aziz Khan
February 26, 2023
Pakistani soldiers and policemen stand guard outside the Haripur central jail. — AFP/File
Pakistani soldiers and policemen stand guard outside the Haripur central jail. — AFP/File

PESHAWAR: To accelerate operations against the terrorist networks across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Counter-Terrorism Department got seven new regions in the province with a focus on districts that have been facing frequent terrorist attacks over the last many months.

The total number of regions of the CTD in KP have now been increased to 14 from seven. And more senior officers will be posted in a couple of days to lead operations effectively.

A number of senior officers, including those from the police service of Pakistan (PSP), have been transferred to the CTD recently to improve its working at a time when the province is facing the challenge of worsening law and order. A source said CTD was being tasked with going after the groups to uproot terrorism.

“We have divided the CTD regions into 14 across KP. An officer of the rank of SP will look after every new division to go after the groups that are creating the law and order situation,” Inspector General of Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Akhtar Hayat Khan told The News. He added that the police were committed to uprooting the menace of terrorism and restoring peace in the province.

The IGP said the towns in south as well as the recently merged districts would be given special attention to improve the law and order there.

He added that the capital city has been divided into two CTD regions. “Peshawar will now be a separate region while Khyber will have its own set up under a superintendent of police (SP),” said Akhtar Hayat.

Under the restructuring of the CTD, even the smaller regions in the south have been split to effectively go after the terrorist network there. The southern districts and the towns in the erstwhile Fata have been witnessing an increase in terrorist attacks since 2021.

An official informed that Kohat and Karak had now been made one CTD region while Hangu, Orakzai and Kurram were made a separate division for having the same kind of law and order issues.

Besides, Bannu and Lakki Marwat have been declared a separate region in CTD while North Waziristan will be another region under SP.

The CTD gets one region in the volatile Dera Ismail Khan district while Tank and South Waziristan would be a separate region to better look after the affairs of the counter-terrorism body in these troubled towns.

Also, the Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera have been made one CTD region while Charsadda and Mohmand having different dynamics would be a separate region.

Hazara Division has also been divided in two regions with Abbottabad, Mansehra and Haripur falling in Hazara 1 and Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, Kollai Palas, Torghar and Battagram making a separate Hazara-II region.

Similarly, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Buner form Malakand-I region of CTD while Dir Lower, Dir Upper, Chitral Lower, Chitral Upper and Bajaur make Malakand -II region of CTD.