Female commandos to join K-P police battalion

A K-P police spokesperson says a total of 648 female police officers deployed across the province

PESHAWAR: In a bid to make the forces more efficient in search and strike operations, K-P police have decided to recruit female commandos to serve in tribal districts and adjacent areas. These rigorously trained commandos will soon be ready to join K-P police and assist the force on all fronts against terrorists and criminal entities.

“There has long been a shortage of lady police officers in adjoining areas of tribal districts, which has severely affected our ability to conduct search operations in tribal households where men outside of the family are not permitted to enter women’s spaces,” K-P Inspector General Police Dr Naeem Khan told The Express Tribune. “With the induction of these skilled female commandos into our forces, we aim to make their presence compulsory while conducting house raids, keeping tribal customs and traditions in mind,” he added.

According to Khan, two batches of female commandos have already completed their training and are ready to be deployed. A total of 69 female commandos will eventually be inducted into the K-P police battalion upon completion of their four months of rigorous training, which involves the use of advanced weaponry and martial arts amongst other things.

The newly recruited commandos have displayed exemplary abilities in various defence activities and they will be deployed in seven tribal districts including Mohmand, Bajaur, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan. As per North Waziristan District Police Officer Shafiullah Ghandapur, previously there were only seven female searchers in the district, who had been recruited by FATA’s former political administration. “Although these female searchers have been performing their duties in search and security services, there are no female commandos trained for conducting raids and search and strike operations.”

The spokesperson of K-P police Shahzad Kokab Farooq informed The Express Tribune that there are a total of 648 female police officers deployed across the province. “Although some of the female officers at the Police Training College of Hangu have been outperforming their male counterparts in every field, but it is for the first time that the K-P police has decided to actually deploy female commandos in the adjoining areas of tribal districts.”

K-P Elite Force’s first Deputy Superintendent of Police Rozia Altaf said that the female commandos have been trained to work shoulder to shoulder with the men on the field. “They’re more than capable of conducting raids as well as search and special operations. Their advanced training has enabled them to fight on all fronts and stand tall in the face of adversity.”

Rita Ravis, a member of the elite force shared that she and her fellow female commandos have undergone special training on the use of heavy weapons, firearms as well as raiding terrorist sites and arresting extremists. “I took part in the Mattani operations in Peshawar and my rigorous training had prepared me for anything which my line of work would demand during my deployment,” said Ravis.

Pari Gul, another member of the elite force who has completed advanced training in the bomb disposal unit said that she was part of the team that soiled bombs in K-P and saved several lives. “We put our lives at risk to save the lives of our citizens, that is a matter of pride for us and I’m honoured to be associated with the elite force,” Gul added.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2019.