CTD operational in 14 regions of KP

PESHAWAR: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has been made operational in all the newly-created 14 regions with posting the respective heads on Tuesday.

The CTD recently got seven new regions in the province, focusing on districts that have been facing frequent terrorist attacks over the last many months. The total number of regions of the CTD in KP now doubled from seven to 14.

According to a notification, Muhammad Iqbal was posted senior superintendent of police (SSP) Counter-Terrorism Finance CTD North while Abdul Rashid was posted SSP CTD South, Kashif Abbasi was posted SP CTD Peshawar, Imran Khan SP

Kohat 1, Muhammad Shoaib, SP Bannu 1, and Khan Zeb SP CTD Malakand 1.

Besides, Raza Muhammad was posted SP CTD Bannu 2, Ikhtiraz Khan SP Peshawar 2, Izhar Shah SP Dera Ismail Khan 2, Fazal Wahid SP DI Khan 1, Tariq Mahmood Hazara 1, Tahir Iqbal Kohat 2, Sabir Gul Mardan 2 and

Amjid Ali was posted SP CTD Malakand 2.

A number of senior officers, including those from the police service of Pakistan (PSP), have been transferred to the CTD recently in an effort to improve its working at a time when the province has been facing the challenge of worsening law and order.

A PSP officer was posted as additional inspector general CTD last week while some of the cops who were heading police in their respective districts were transferred to the counter terrorism body after creating more important positions in its headquarters and regions.

Previously, there used to be one or two PSP officers working in the CTD since its formation.

It is to be seen whether or not the senior officers would be able to improve the performance of the force after posting on the slots that were previously held by junior cops, mostly DSPs.

The force has been tasked with going after the groups of terrorists to uproot the menace of terrorism.

Under the restructuring of the CTD, even the smaller regions in the south have been split. The southern districts as well as the towns in the erstwhile Fata have been witnessing an increase in terrorist attacks since 2021. The department lacks offices, police stations and resources in many regions and districts where new officers have been posted. Some of them are not happy after they have been transferred from positions that had more perks and privileges.

After the new development, Peshawar and Khyber are two separate CTD regions. Kohat and Karak now make 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 Bannu-1 while North Waziristan would make Bannu-2 division.

The CTD gets one region in the volatile Dera Ismail Khan district while Tank and South Waziristan are separate region to better look after the affairs of the counter

terrorism body in these troubled towns.

Also, the Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera make one CTD region Mardan 1 while Charsadda and Mohmand having different dynamics have been made a separate region, Mardan 2.

Hazara division has also been divided in two regions with Abbottabad, Mansehra and Haripur falling in Hazara 1 and Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, 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.