Tightening surveillance: BKU appoints new security incharge

PRO says new security head will have complete autonomy

SHABQADAR: Colonel (retd) Jan Firdous has been appointed as Bacha Khan University (BKU), Charsadda security incharge. This was stated in a notification issued by the varsity’s administration on Thursday.

BKU’s Media and Public Relation Officer (PRO) Saeed Khan Khalil told The Express Tribune the new security head’s notification of appointment was issued on March 3 but he had assumed charge prior to this date.

Persistent protection

He said the university administration has also appointed 29 former army officials to ensure security at the university. “All 29 officials have started performing their duties,” he said.

According to Khalil, BKU signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Frontier Constabulary (FC) to provide security to the varsity. As a result, 30 FC personnel have been on duty since the campus reopened on February 15.



He added 10 district police officials have also been hired.

“The police officials are armed and well-equipped,” Khalil said.

As per the PRO, in the past the security incharge was working under director of administration.

“However, the new security chief will have complete autonomy,”

He added former security incharge Ashfaq Khan was removed from service on February 29 after the then K-P acting governor Asad Qaiser issued a notification to university administration following the release of enquiry reports regarding security conditions at the time of the attack.

“The administration acted on the notification as per the public service act,” Khalil said.

The past

BKU was attacked on January 20. At least 21 people lost their lives in the ghastly rampage, which was reminiscent of the Army Public School massacre on December 16, 2014.

Later, the K-P government constituted an enquiry committee to probe the attack.

Enquiry reports held BKU Vice Chancellor Fazal Rahim Marwat and BKU Director for Administration Dr Shakeel Khan responsible for security lapses.

However, Qaiser ordered the removal of security incharge from his service on February 29 and issued directives to the VC to be more careful in future.

ANP leadership in Charsadda has rejected the notification issued by the acting governor on the removal of the security head.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2016.