IGP Nasir Khan Durrani. PHOTO: SYED MUSHARAF SHAH
The police force of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is ready to respond to any security threat in case peace negotiations with the Taliban fail, said K-P Inspector General Police (IGP), Nasir Durrani, on Thursday.
In an interview with The Express News, the K-P IGP said that the police force in the province possessed the capabilities to spring to action if needed and face any sudden blowback if peace talks were to fail.
Government negotiators and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) agreed to continue talks after the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides was held in a remote tribal area on Wednesday.
Highlighting K-P’s security concerns compared to the rest of the country, Durrani said that his police force knew how to tackle militancy and ensure the safety of its people. K-P is different from the rest of the country when it comes to law and order, he said.
.....................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................
According to the police chief, the province faced three major security threats - militancy, kidnapping for ransom and extortion, adding that police were trying to address all of them.
“These three issues are interlinked,” he explained.
In 2013, around 140 people were reportedly abducted from the province. While talking to The Express Tribune earlier this week, another police official said the number of kidnappings were actually higher than those reported. Most people, he added, did not want to talk to the police or register an FIR out of fear that seeking help from law enforcement officials might harm the victim. Similarly, police records also reflect around 60 cases of extortion in K-P for 2013 - with Peshawar topping the list of incidents. The city’s extortion cases are believed to be several times higher than those actually reported.
While talking about K-P police efforts in tackling the law and order situation, Durrani said that officials had arrested 150 militants and were working on 129 cases of militancy, adding that 39 different militant groups were operating in the province. The names of nine militant groups had been forwarded to the federal government, reflecting the bounties placed on the arrests of their respective leaders.
With regards to K-P’s first drone strike in Hangu, the IGP explained that the case registered against the United States government was still open.
“It’s an important case, not against a person, but an entire government,” he said, adding that witnesses of the attack still had to testify during the case hearing. Police has sent questions to the foreign office and is waiting for their answers.
Proposing a joint force between police and law enforcement agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), the IGP said the groups should work together to rid the region of militancy and restore peace in the province, adding that where necessary, police would form armed committees.
Durrani also said that they had sent applications to the government to recruit youth from Fata and include these officers in K-P’s police force to better tackle security issues that plague both areas collectively.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2014.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Sadia Warraich: Rightly said.
@Libra: IG got appointed last year. Were you sleeping before???
@Saleem: The only joke here is you. Are you man enough to stand in front of impending death the way these men have done and stand against suicide bombers using only themselves? Big talk from someone behind a computer screen
You sure have a big mouth mr Durrani! If you and your military in khaki were that smart, there would not have been the need for peace talks. The KPK chieI should send you to retirement, restructure the police force and restrainy to its barracks. The Colonial structure army and police is not functionable in a democracy
Rex Minor
Good luck Sir, But i hope there won't be need to any strict action as the peace deal will get successful.Though there are forces who are trying to portray negative picture of peace efforts but they will be failed.
Armed & Ready - what a joke.
It would be greater victory and contribution if KP Police Dept. first order their Dept. first. In 90% of crimes, illegal activities, smuggling, human trafficking, corruption, kidnapping, bribes, violation of the rule of law, exploitation and destruction of the societies Police Dept. is dominant. Police is the major threat to peace and stability, development and civilization of the society. Don't try to make the people fool.
Nowhere in the history of the world has a law enforcement agent stood so valiantly and steadfast against such horrific odds as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. They have done things in this fight that not even the army could imagine. Truly they have done us proud and are the unsung and under-appreciated heroes of this war. From the ranks of highest PSP officers all the way down to constable they've courageously stood shoulder to shoulder against this menace and for this I salute them. Allah bless our Shaheeds and bring peace to this land once more. I wish you and the rest of the KPK police department the best of luck Mr. Durrani.
KPK police is de politicised. And I am sure, with time their performance will only improve, but it might take some time because police is right now full of political appointees thanks to the 5 year rule of ANP. But with time, these political appointees will be replaced by merit based appointees and at the end of 5 years, there will be a new police force altogether. We just need to be a bit patient. The direction is set.