KP CM approves creation of Investment Protection Force

Says foreign investors to get protection beyond expectations

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has approved a dedicated Investment Protection Force (IPF) to safeguard foreign investors.

According to an official handout, he also approved a coordination committee of police, Planning and Development and Home Department.

The decision was taken at a meeting to review the security arrangements for the foreign investors at the Chief Minister’s House, Peshawar.

Inspector General of Police Salah-ud-din Mehsud, head of Strategic Support Unit Sahibzada Saeed, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Muhammad Israr, Secretary P&D and Home also attended the meeting.

The participants discussed in detail the landing of investors in the province in the aftermath of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Road-Show in Beijing where dozens of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed both at government-to-government and business-to-business levels.

Addressing the participants of the meeting, the chief minister said the government would provide security and peaceful environment to the investors.

Approving the dedicated Investment Protection Force, the chief minister said the force at the moment would be available by reshuffling personnel from different forces.

The strength of the dedicated investment protection force would be hiked to 4,000 personnel. He approved the recruitment of personnel in two phases along with the vehicles and equipment.

Pervez Khattak said allocation for 500 personnel for the force would be reflected in the current budget and the remaining in the next budget.

He called for enhancing coordination amongst police, P&D and Home Department and approved a coordination committee to get desired targets as laid down under the security plan.

The chief minister directed the IGP to submit him the details of requirements including the numerical strength of the force and technical equipment.

Pervez Khattak said the Beijing Road Show opened up the province to the foreign investors and they would flock to the province soon.

He said we would have different kinds of challenges, calling upon the participants to prepare standing operational procedure.

The chief minister said steps were being taken up to tackle the security-related challenges to restore the confidence of the investors.

Meanwhile, chief minister has termed the local government system of the province as one of the best in the world. He said the KP government had devolved all powers to the local governments to facilitate the decision making process at local level.

He was talking to a delegation of district nazims from Malakand Division at the Chief Minister’s House Peshawar.