Remembering Telaband’s fallen militia volunteer turned police constable

An ardent supporter of peace militias, Ibrar Khan was drafted by the police.

PESHAWAR:

Among those who volunteered to defend their community against Lashkar-e-Islam militants, Ibrar Khan was quick in responding to the call of duty.

Khan was killed along with check post in-charge Tajamul Shah in a roadside bomb attack on December 3, while manning a check post in Shahab Khel.

“He was a brave man and performed his duty well despite the fact that his job was not rewarding,” said an elder of Telaband, Waqif Khan. He said compensation such as the Rs3 million shuhada package is not given to full-time police personnel. “Neither does the family receive his monthly salary.”

Ibrar’s policing career started four years ago when Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Deputy Speaker Khushdil Khan appealed to his constituency to rise against militancy. He convinced the police to arm volunteers with rifles because the adversary was well equipped. Five volunteers, including Ibrar, were selected under the scheme and provided two AK-47s and semi-automatic rifles.

Coming from a humble lower-middle class family from the suburban Telaband village, Ibrar was an ardent supporter of peace militias.

Taking his commitment and services into account, the late SP Kalam Khan recruited Ibrar as a constable in the community police on a two-year contract in 2010. He was paid a Rs13,000 monthly salary and deployed in his native village, patrolling the streets at night to keep a check on militant activity and restrict their movement on the two streets passing through the village.

“I was really close to Ibrar because we were from the same village and had been recruited in the community police on the same day,” said Ibrar’s friend, Ijaz Khan. “The police should compensate his family because he was poor and the only breadwinner. His brothers are still young and go to school.”

During Muharram, when militant attacks were widespread, Shah had requested SHO Naseem Hayat for more men to guard and patrol the Shahab Khel check post. Two police mobiles had already been ambushed, injuring six policemen, and Shah feared the attacks would increase.

A few police service members along with Ibrar were transferred to Shahab Khel. While the Muharram threat seemed to rescind, Ibrar remained at his new posting and on December 3, he fell in the line of duty during a routine patrol along with Shah. Their vehicle was completely destroyed in the bomb explosion.

Ibrar leaves behind a window and a one-year-old daughter.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2012.