Maintaining peace: 83 levies personnel pass basic training

APAs urge new recruits to serve the nation with pride

GHALLANAI: At least 83 newly-appointed levies recruits passed their basic training in Mohmand Agency. A ceremony was held at Ghallanai to mark the occasion.

Levies Forces Deputy Commandant Haseebur Rehman and Baizai subdivision APA were the chief guests and recruits performed a march past at the ground.

The recruits were addressed by the APAs who said the new induction was a milestone for security in the agency. They said the new recruits must serve the nation with pride as Pakistanis placed their trust in these soldiers to keep national security.

The APAs praised the recruit training programme. They said levies personnel had rendered tremendous sacrifices for the nation in combating militancy. Rehman said these soldiers went through a three-month long course with an army instructor and were provided modern communication systems. He said the government wanted to improve the performance of the levies force in FATA.

He added it was therefore important to focus on their duties. Mohmand Agency has fewer levies personnel than khasadar officials and the government is working on increasing the strength of the former.

The new force can be deployed on the border areas of Khawazai, Baizai and Ambar to bring peace to those parts of the agency.

At least 1,114 levies personnel are performing duties on 30 check posts in the agency while 24 officials have laid down their lives in the war against militancy.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2016.