35,000-strong police force required for Waziristan

Political agents suggest 125 police stations to maintain law and order in North and South Waziristan

PESHAWAR: A 35,000-strong force will be required for Waziristan once its trial status comes to an end, shows official documents featuring government plans for police deployment in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

The documents submitted to the Law and Order department of the Fata Secretariat put the figure at exactly 34,760 personnel for 126 police stations across North and South Waziristan agencies.

Political agents of both the agencies had been asked to assess the law and order situation in their areas and suggest the strength of police personnel to be required for maintaining law and order. The assessment was part of multilayer consultations carried out for the Fata reforms.

According to the proposal from North Waziristan, seven police stations are required for Tehsil Mirali, six each for Shawal and Miranshah, five each for Ghulam Khan, Garyom and Spinwam, four each for Razmak and Shewa and three for Dosali.

The documents available with The Express Tribune show that a station house officer and an additional SHO will be required for each police station along with five assistant sub-inspectors, two Muharrirs, two detective foot constables and 500 constables. The number of constables for police stations in border areas, however, varies between 600 and 650.

The South Waziristan Agency’s administration has sought 76 police stations – nine in Sarwekai, 22 in Ladha and 45 in Wana sub-division. Besides, 1,000 staff members would be required at the police stations in Sarwakai, 1,080 in Ladha and 7,080 in Wana.

A source who was part of the consultation said that since Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Salahudin Mehsud was from South Waziristan, he had personally contacted the tribes and was confident that they would trust the extension of the policing system of the province.

The source said the regional police officers of the adjoining districts had visited the agencies and held meetings with the political agents of the tribal areas for developing an understanding in this regard.

A Fata Secretariat source said the North and South Waziristan agencies had a very low crime rate and the main problem in the area was terrorism.

“Only one incident of robbery was reported in the area last year, besides a few cases of honour killing,” he said and added, “The main problem is to control terrorism.”

The topography of the area was such that there were vast expanses of barren land with scattered population, “hence the demand for so many policemen,” he said.

The K-P government is already considering using the Levies and Frontier Constabulary personnel who are in the province as well as Khasadars who will be recruited into police. A policeman will substitute every two Khasadars and an attempt will be made not to completely abolish the concept of community policing.

Currently, there are more than 50,000 war-hardened regular and paramilitary troops in the North and South Waziristan agencies.

The officials concerned contacted by The Express Tribune said that was only an initial assessment and they were waiting for other political agents to send their replies regarding the security needs in their areas.