Two key military check posts handed over to police

PESHAWAR: In a major development on Wednesday, two key military checkposts in the provincial capital were handed over to the police while more roads including the one leading to the official residences of the governor and chief minister of the province were opened for traffic after demolishing the walls erected during the last few years.

As many as 68 policemen were deployed at the checkpost near Gora Qabristan near Amn Chowk and another one opposite the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The army had erected the two checkposts to keep a check on people entering the Cantonment area after the law and order situation deteriorated a decade ago.

“The cops under one deputy superintendent of police have been deployed at the two checkposts. The army will remain at the two facilities as covering party for few days while the active role will be still that of the police,” the Superintendent of Police (SP) Cantonment Waseem Riaz told The News.

Policemen were deployed at the checkpoints on Wednesday and given strict orders to be polite with all those passing through the two posts.

“Policemen deployed at the two points and other checkposts must pay Salam to the people. Talking politely to the people will further improve the relations between the police and the public,” the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Javed Iqbal Wazir told the cops before their deployment at the checkposts. The SSP also paid visit to inspect the deployment at the two checkpoints.

In another development, the wall erected on the road leading to the official residences of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, chief minister and other top government functionaries was bulldozed on Wednesday to open the road for the people.

The general public has welcomed the handing over of security to the civil administration at many places as well as opening of key roads for traffic. The opening of some of these roads will help thousands of people daily as they had to take longer routes while passing through the Cantonment to reach their dedstination.

According to a police official, 101 checkposts erected in different parts of the province have been removed recently to comply with the directives of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan who had ordered opening of roads for the general public.

Out of these checkposts, 34 have been removed in Peshawar alone. Besides, almost a dozen roads blocked for traffic due to the security situation in the recent years have been opened.

On May 9, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had directed the removal of checkposts and barricades from the roads in Peshawar within 48 hours.

Heading a division bench of the Supreme Court that included Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the Chief Justice passed the order while hearing an application of senior lawyer Khurshid Khan for removal of checkposts and barricades on the main roads. The court had ordered the Intelligence Bureau, the ISI and the civilian administration that only extremely needed checkposts should be on roads and that too after taking permission from the court.