IGP awarded Sitara-e-Shuja’at

PESHAWAR: President Asif Ali Zardari has awarded Sitara-e-Shuja’at to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan in recognition of his efforts in combating militancy and restoring peace in the Malakand region during his tenure as regional police officer several years ago.

Akhtar Hayat Khan served as district police officer in Swat in October 2007, and later assumed the role of regional police officer in Malakand in August 2011. His tenure coincided with a period of heightened militancy, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat asserting control over the valley and establishing a de-facto government.

Both the office and residence of the DPO and RPO Swat were subjected to frequent attacks during this challenging period.

In July 2016, Akhtar Hayat was once again appointed RPO Malakand. Under his leadership, the police took the forefront as the primary law enforcement agency in the Malakand division. Gradually, the army and paramilitary forces were phased out, and the police assumed a more prominent role in maintaining law and order in the region.