Martyrs Week begins in KP to pay tributes to fallen police heroes

PESHAWAR: A series of functions has begun to mark Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police's Martyrs Day on August 4 to pay tributes to the fallen heroes of the force who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

The Martyrs Week has begun on Tuesday with meetings and functions in different parts of the province. The force would arrange a grand function on August 4 to pay homage to the martyrs.

The Martyrs Day is being observed for the fourth consecutive year on the death anniversary of Safwat Ghayur Shaheed, a senior police officer who lost life in a suicide attack in August 2010 while heading the Frontier Constabulary as its commandant. "Apart from the families of those martyred during the last many years, we are working for the welfare of all those policemen who were critically injured while performing duty," said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Tahir.

According to the police chief, arrangements are being finalized for the Martyrs Day that is to be observed on August 4 and meetings are being held daily in this regard. Mohammad Tahir was the Additional IG Finance and Welfare in Punjab when the Shuhada Package of the Punjab Police was increased.

Currently, a constable in the Punjab Police gets more in terms of Shaheed Package than the additional IG and DIG of the KP Police. "The main function will be held in Peshawar on August 4. Before that, we will hold meetings with the families of the martyrs, hold camps to highlight the sacrifices of the fallen heroes and arrange blood donation camps," Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jamilur Rehman told The News.

The CCPO said that all the police officials had been directed to treat the families of every martyred policeman as VIP whenever they approach them with any kind of issue.

He said a special cell had been set up in the KP Police as well as the Capital City Police to help the families of the martyred policemen in different issues. "They are our heroes and we will never forget their sacrifices," said Qazi Jamil. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost the highest number of senior and junior policemen during the last 12 years. Out of the over 1700 policemen who have died since 1970, around 1300 were martyred in last around 12 years. Those martyred included one additional inspector general of police, two deputy inspectors general, six superintendents of police and 19 acting SPs or DSPs.

The highest share among the fallen heroes is that of constables as almost 1000 of them have been martyred in terrorist attacks, suicide bombings, ambushes and target killings since 2006. They proved to be the front-line force against terrorists and criminals during the troubled times.

The worst year for the police in KP was 2009 when 207 cops, including one SP, three DSPs, four inspectors, 18 sub-inspectors and 16 ASIs were martyred in terrorist attacks in the province.