KP pays tributes to fallen heroes amid fresh attacks

PESHAWAR: A contingent of the Peshawar Police presented salute to the grave of constable Khadim Hussain in Matani as two young sons of the martyr offered fateha and showered rose petals to pay tributes to the fallen hero of the KP Police.

Khadim Hussain is one of 1,508 policemen of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who were martyred since 2000.“Khadim Hussain was martyred when armed men targeted him a couple of years ago. I, along with my officers, are here at his grave to pay our tributes to the martyr and tell the public that we remember our heroes,” Waqar Ahmad, superintendent of police, Saddar, Peshawar, told The News.

He said they visited the family of the fallen hero to reiterate the force would never forget the sacrifice of Khadim and hundreds of other policemen.Many policemen were martyred in Peshawar, Mardan , Dera Ismail Khan and other districts in fresh attacks in the last several weeks. Most of them were providing security to the polio teams.

“The KP police every year observe Martyrs Day on August 4, the death anniversary of legendary Safwat Ghayur, to pay tribute to the fallen heroes. On the directives of Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari, we also observed August 1 this year as the Day of Ghazis to pay tribute to thousands of the cops who were maimed and injured in various attacks,” said Waqar Ahmad.

Functions were being held in all the regions of the KP Police to pay homage to the martyrs and ghazis of the force.The main function will be held tomorrow, August 4, to pay tribute to the heroes of the KP Police. Apart from saluting to the graves of the martyred, Quran khwani, blood donation camps, visit to the families of the fallen heroes and other events will be held across the country on August 4, the death anniversary of additional IGP Safwat Ghayur Shaheed.

A former KP IGP late Nasir Khan Durrani had taken the decision to observe Police Martyrs Day to acknowledge the sacrifices of the fallen heroes as well as to boost the morale of the force. The government later started observing the day in other provinces as well.

“Senior officers of Mardan and the rest of KP meet the families of martyrs on a monthly basis to look after them. This frequent interaction also caters to their needs and difficulties of any sort,” District Police Officer Mardan, Zahid Ullah Jan told The News.

As many as 1508 policemen were martyred in suicide attacks, blasts, target killings, ambushes and encounters while performing duty in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the last 21 years. Thousands of others were maimed in these kinds of attacks but are still ready to fight for peace in the country.

Those who were martyred during the last almost 21 years included two additional inspectors general of police (Ad IGs), two deputy inspectors general of police (DIGs), six superintendents of police (SPs), one SSP and 17 acting SPs or DSPs.

Besides, the martyrs included 32 inspectors or acting DSPs, 125 sub-inspectors, 85 ASIs and 152 head constables.The highest number of martyrs, 1087, is of constables, the junior-most rank of the force that participate in every raid, search operation, operation, on roads and at checking points.

Constables are the most vulnerable as they perform duty everywhere and this is why they sacrificed the most in any operation or attack. A number of women were also among the martyrs.

For the KP Police, the years from 2007 till 2014 were the worst when hundreds of senior and junior cops were attacked in the province, particularly Peshawar.The worst year was 2009 when 209 policemen, including one SP, 3 DSPs and 4 inspectors were martyred in different terrorist attacks in the province.

According to the KP police record, 27 cops were martyred in different attacks in the province in 2006, 107 in 2007, 172 in 2008, 209 in 2009, 107 in 2010 and 154 in 2011, 106 in 2012, 134 in 2013 and 111 policemen were martyred in 2014. The situation started improving after 2014, reducing the casualties of the police force.

Safwat Ghayur was the senior-most officers of the KP Police who sacrificed his life in a suicide attack on his car on August 4, 2010.The Peshawar Police Lines were named after Malik Mohammad Saad, a former CCPO of Peshawar who was martyred along with many other policemen and civilians in a suicide attack in January 2007.