Three anti-terrorism training units planned

The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the police department to establish an Anti-terrorism Training Unit at the police training centers in Shahdadpur, Sanghar district, and in Rzakabad in Karachi.

"We have commandoes, anti-riot and anti-dacoits specialised training units at our police training centers but we do not have anti-terrorism training units which are need of the hour," the CM observed while addressing the 172nd Passing out parade of 561 assistant sub inspectors (ASIs) at the PTC Shahdadpur on Wednesday.

"Therefore, [such centers] should be established so that the police may professionally handle these anti-state elements." The CM asked the inspector general Sindh police Ghulam Nabi Memon to hire top trainers from Pakistan Army to train the new recruits of the anti-terrorist units.

He said the cops graduating from the ATU centers will also be tasked to conduct espionage in addition to their responsibility of carrying out the operations. Shah credited his provincial government for introducing advanced methods of police training in addition to raising the salaries, allowances and compensation for the martyred policemen. He recalled that the budget for fiscal 2022-23 has also upgraded the pay scales of the cops. He claimed that the recruitment of the policemen is being done on purely merit basis.

During his speech the IGP requested the CM to pay an additional mess allowance for the trainee cops who are made to pay Rs3,000 per month at the PTCs for their meals. He apprised Shah that the Punjab government is currently paying Rs6,000 allowance in this regard. On his request the CM announced Rs5,000 allowance for the trainee policemen.

The IGP also brought up the issue of the decaying firing range at the PTC shahdadpur, telling the CM that his father and former CM Sindh Syed Abdullah Shah had established the firing range at PTC Shahdadpur after his visit to the center in 1994. However, he said the range is in shambles at the moment. On the IGPs request the CM announced reconstruction of the range. The PTC Shahdadpur was elevated to the status of college in 1994 by the late Abdullah Shah.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2022.