KP Police take over security in merged tribal districts

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police officials formally moved into the erstwhile Fata on the occasion of prime minister's visit to Khyber tribal district on Friday.

Last month, the Levies and Khassadar officials in Bajaur had refused entry to the KP Police officials who were directed to be part of security of the rally of PM Imran Khan. The contingents of the KP Police including the bomb disposal unit and the canine unit were returned after realising the Levies and Khassadars would not let them move in at any cost.

On Friday, the KP Police officials along with army, Frontier Corps, Levies and Khassadars jointly arranged security for the rally of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Jamrud. Inspector General of Police Mohammad Naeem Khan was welcomed by contingents of Levies and Khassadars in Khyber. Accompanied by newly posted District Police Officer (DPO) Khyber Hussain Khan, the IGP was presented a bouquet, a rifle and lamb as part of the local traditions.

"The KP Police will make every effort to uphold the dignity of the people of newly merged districts," Mohammad Naeem Khan told The News. When asked if the police performed the security duty during the PM's rally, the IGP said that the DPO Khyber was part of the team that arranged security during the rally.

Interestingly, the DPO Khyber was wearing black shalwar qameez like Levies and Khassadars instead of the regular police uniforms, probably to show solidarity with the law-enforcers from tribal districts. It took a long time for the police force to enter the merged districts as apart from Levies, Khassadars and local maliks, a number of elements were opposing the deployment of the police force in now-defunct Fata. The process, however, has begun recently. The newly posted district police officers have taken charge of offices in the tribal districts and held meetings with the authorities concerned to formally launch policing in the erstwhile tribal region.

This was for the first time that police officers were posted in the erstwhile Fata. Mohammad Hussain was posted as DPO Khyber, Pir Shahab Ali Shah DPO Bajaur, Abdul Rashid DPO Mohmand, Salahuddin DPO Orakzai, Rahim Shah DPO Kurram, Kifayatullah DPO North Waziristan and Atiqullah Wazir was posted DPO South Waziristan.

No officer from those recruited through the Central Superior Service was among those posted as DPOs in the tribal districts.

An official said that the DPOs of the merged districts were warmly received by the senior officials of Levies and Khassadars after the government has removed their grievances and assured their induction in police. The DPOs held meetings with the staff and other relevant stakeholders.