PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) has been tasked to coordinate with the Civil Aviation Authority to enhance security for all incoming flights to the airport.
The announcement was made at a high-level meeting presided over by IGP Nasir Khan Durrani at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Wednesday, so as to ward off the possibility of any ‘PK-756-type attack’. It was also decided that the provincial government will be requested to raise a dedicated security force consisting of 175 personnel for the airport’s funnel area. The same was done in 2009 for a period of six months as a precautionary measure.
PIA’s flight PK-756 was fired upon by militants just as it was about to land at Bacha Khan International Airport a little before midnight on Tuesday. One woman lost her life as a result while another passenger and a member of the cabin crew were injured.
The IGP was briefed by the DIG Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and CCPO about the investigation of the plane attack. It was announced that enhanced security measures are to be adopted for aircrafts flying at low altitudes in funnel areas and strict preventive checks put in place. It was also decided that no new construction will be allowed in areas adjacent to Khyber Agency and the airport without prior permission of the sub-divisional police officer.
Keeping watch
A door-to-door survey will be carried out in all restive villages close to the airport and Peshawar’s border with the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
The survey will include geotagging of each building on Google Maps and will collect details of all male members of the household above the age of 14. The details – to be verified by electoral lists – will include name, father’s name, address, picture, CNIC number, mobile number, sub-tribe, tribe and fingerprints.
Around 1,000 police personnel will be completing the survey on a priority basis, which will be supervised by Additional IG Special Branch and DIG CTD. CCPO Peshawar will coordinate with Commissioner Peshawar for including relevant revenue staff in the process as well.
During the survey, written warnings will be furnished to all residents, whereby they will be bound to furnish details to the SHO concerned of every guest coming to their home after sunset. The divisional SSP will also be responsible to organise ‘surprise checks’ of houses in the target area.
IGP Durrani instructed CCPO Peshawar to ensure zero tolerance for aerial firing and to intensify joint patrolling on Frontier Road and Kohat Road with the army.
The meeting was also attended by Additional IGP OPS, Additional IGP Special Branch, SSP OPS Peshawar and SP Rural Peshawar.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2014.
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