Journalists' role in peace maintenance vital, says K-P IGP

Praising the tribal journalists' role in peace maintenance and development in merged tribal districts, the Inspector General of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur has said that the state would not ignore the sacrifices of 14 tribal journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty.

While speaking to a delegation of the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) at his office in Peshawar on Tuesday, Gandapur said the department was aware of the sensitivities and challenges being faced by journalists in merged districts, adding that journalists were playing a key role in the establishing healthy society.

The journalists' delegation, led by TUJ of erstwhile FATA caretaker chairman Qazi Fazlullah Shinwari, included presidents and members of press clubs from district Khyber, North and South Waziristan, Mohmand, Bajaur, Kurrum, Orakzai and Frontier Regions.

"I am aware of the threats and risks the journalists encounter in merged tribal districts. Police and other sister departments cannot ignore the journalists' importance to maintain peace and portray the soft image of Pakistan," said Gandapur.

He said that not only in the past but still the ex-FATA journalists were performing a challenging job in their respective districts.

Gandapur said the police department’s moral and social support would be with the journalists to cope with all kinds of social evils. He said they were gradually increasing the number of police stations in merged districts so that they could keep watch on the entire area.

He said that the department was making efforts to bring all displaced people back to their respective areas and to bring normalcy and initiate developmental projects for them.

In response to a query from this correspondent, the K-P IGP acknowledged that he was aware of a considerable presence of highly educated individuals serving in the tribal police, having transitioned from the Khasadar and Levies forces.

He affirmed that the promotion process within the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police department would prioritise and provide concessions to educated police personnel, facilitating their attainment of esteemed positions.

"The policemen hailing from merged districts are full of talent, they are outstanding in courage, bravery and we should appreciate their sacrifices in the line of duty," he praised.

Gandapur said when he assumed the charge as K-P IGP, he chalked out service structure mechanism for the police of merged districts executing gradually.

He said that they were establishing modern type of police stations in Tirah Valley where they keep a vigilant eye over the social evils.

Tribal Union of Journalists caretaker chairman Qazi Fazlullah Shinwari and spokesperson Ashrafuddin Pirzada discussed various problems being faced by tribal journalists with Gandapur. They asked the police chief to provide at least two police officers to each press club in merged districts.

Fazlullah also demanded of the K-P IGP to withdraw the cases allegedly lodged against journalists in merged districts. He said that police should allocate free education for the children of martyred journalists in police-run schools and colleges.