Taking stock: ‘Policemen injured in militant attacks will be treated at CMH’

PESHAWAR/ MARDAN: Police officers injured in militant attacks will be treated at Combined Medical Hospital in the city and their medical expenses will be paid by the government.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak expressed these views at a programme arranged for Youm-e-Shuhada Police Day at Nishtar Hall.

“The police force has been on the forefront of the war against terrorism for the past decade,” he said. “[This is] evident from the number of police officers who have either lost their lives or been injured [in militancy-related incident].”

According to Khattak, August 4 will officially be observed as Youm-e-Shuhada Police DayAccording to Khattak, August 4 will officially be observed as Youm-e-Shuhada Police Day by the provincial government.

“The force has become more professional after the provincial government stopped interfering in its internal affairs,” he said. “The war against militancy is far from over even though the number of terrorism cases has been reduced across the province.”

Rising numbers

Earlier, IGP Nasir Khan Durrani lauded the sacrifices rendered by the police force.

“At least 1,274 policemen have been killed in the war against militancy since 2002,” he said. “Meanwhile, 2,475 others were injured in these incidents.” According to the IGP, the police have foiled 1,035 terror bids since then. “The threat of militancy has dwindled after Operation Zarb-e-Azb,” he added.

Police reforms

He also threw his weight behind the police ordinance that was recently introduced in the province.

“Now, the police will be accountable to four bodies,” he said. “This will improve transparency.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2016.