Police posts to get bulletproof glass

A new defensive and offensive strategy has been finalised after attacks

PESHAWAR:

Police has decided to install bulletproof glasses at check posts as part of a new strategy to combat night-time attacks by terrorists.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that as part of a new and comprehensive strategy imported bulletproof glasses would be installed at all police posts in order to protect them against sniper attacks. In all the post on the outskirts of the city retired army snipers would also be deployed. The bulletproof glasses would provide the policemen with enhanced visibility without the fear of sniper attacks so they would be able to spot the attackers from a good distance.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that a new strategy has been adopted by the police after recent attacks in which a DSP of Peshawar police was killed along with his two gunmen when hit by sniper.

“We have decided to deploy snipers at all the posts on the outskirts and provide them with night vision devices to enable them to respond to the night-time attacks,” said an official while talking to The Express Tribune.

He added that the decision was taken at a high level meeting including the deployment of skilled snipers who have retired from the army.

They would be provided with modern sniper rifles and night vision devices.

“As a pilot project, snipers have been deployed in the Saddar circle,” he said, adding that in Peshawar, Lakki Marwat and DI Khan terrorists staged deadly attacks by using snipers and night vision sights, forcing the police force to adopt a two-way defensive and offensive strategy.

“As part of the defensive strategy bulletproof glasses would be installed at all posts in Peshawar district while under the offensive strategy retired army snipers with night vision sights would be deployed to respond to the terrorists attacks,” he said.

It may be mentioned here that terrorists have acquired state-of-the-art night vision devices and sniper rifles left behind in Afghanistan by US forces and they are using them with deadly precision in attacks at police.

In Lakki Marwat terrorists took position on a rooftop and targeted a police post under the cover of darkness. They even filmed the entire episode and released it on social media.

Similarly, a policeman on polio security duty was gunned down by a sniper in DI Khan. Targeting police from a safe distance with long range sniper rifle provided the terrorists with opportunity to safely escape after carrying out the attack.

Attacks at police have intensified since the fall of Kabul to Taliban which provided TTP with a golden opportunity to operate with complete impunity from the Afghan soil as previously they were hunted down by US drones.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2023.