Special police officers to be recruited from minorities

PESHAWAR: The police in the provincial capital would recruit special police officers (SPOs) from the minorities and impart training to the private guards hired for the security of the places of worship, officials said on Tuesday.
Security of the worship places all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been enhanced following attacks in Lahore.“We will recruit SPOs from Christians, Sikh, Hindu and other communities for security of their worship places. Their elders were asked to provide lists from which we will recruit the right persons for the job,” Dr Mian Saeed Ahmad, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Operations Peshawar, told The News.
He added that at least two SPOs would be hired for each place of worship to ensure its security. He said the SPOs recruited from the community would better identify those entering a place of worship for prayers or on special occasions.
“We have offered to train all the private guards that they have hired for the security of their worship places. They will be trained in weapon handling, frisking people coming for prayers and other things to better watch the entry and exit points,” Dr Mian Saeed added.
The Peshawar Police authorities have also told the elders of all the communities to nominate their focal persons who could be approached by the police in case of any untoward incident or who can contact the senior officers in case of any complaint or concern.
“The elders were told during a meeting on Tuesday to write to police in case they need to block any street or road on special occasions as part of foolproof security,” said the SSP Operations. He added it was made clear that no one will be allowed to take law into their own hands or carry out violent protests.
Hindu, Christians, Sikh and other religious communities have over 20 places of worship in Peshawar. Some have come under attack in the recent past. The worst attack was on the All Saints Church in Kohati locality on September 22, 2013 when two suicide bombers struck during the Sunday services to kill around 90 people. Over 150 other persons were injured in the attack.
Strict security measures have been taken in and around the All Saints Church following the worst attack on any worship place of Christian population in Pakistan. A biometrically operated gate has also been installed.
Christians in Peshawar had protested against the attack on the two churches in Lahore the other day. However, they remained peaceful unlike those in Lahore.In August last year, a Sikh businessman was killed and two others were wounded inside a shop in the busy Hashtnagri Bazaar. A couple of other attacks were also carried out against the members of the Sikh, Christian and Hindu communities.Hundreds of thousands of Christians, Hindu and Sikhs have been living in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata for generations.