Federal Constabulary not a police force: Talal

FAISALABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has said the government has decided to restructure the Frontier Constabulary (FC) as Federal Constabulary, aligning it with other federal law-enforcement bodies.

Speaking to media at a press conference at the DC Office here on Monday, he said the newly-restructured force should not be confused with a federal police service. The FC has been operating under the federal government since the establishment of Pakistan and made significant contributions in terms of national security and counterterrorism. Under the restructuring, the FC will now have a broader mandate including anti-drug operations, counterterrorism and crime prevention, with recruits from across Pakistan. He clarified that the federal government would fully fund the FC and that the decision has been implemented through an ordinance which will be presented in parliament for discussion. “No confusion should exist, this is not a new federal police,” he stressed.

Commandant FC Riaz Nazir Gara said new specialized wings would be established within the FC to meet modern security challenges. Geo TV adds: “The structure of the Federal Constabulary is being revamped on the lines of the Rangers and police,” Talal said. Clarifying the deployment arrangements, he said the province that utilised FC services would also determine its powers.

Riaz said the force would have 41 wings of which 36 would belong to the Security Division already serving in the FC. The other six wings would fall under the Federal Reserve Division of which five would belong to the Riot Support Wing and one Special Protection Wing, with the latter responsible for ensuring security and protection of key installations and offices. “The primary reason for reorganisation is to improve the tiers of command structure, fulfil operational requirements to boost morale and create division within the FC,” the officer said.