Uptick in violence: Bike-mounted police to patrol Quetta roads

CM promises all resources to police to maintain law and order; says police force depoliticized

QUETTA:

After a recent spate of deadly violence, the Balochistan government has decided to raise a motorcycle-mounted police force to maintain law and order in the volatile provincial capital.

This was revealed by Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Naseer Hussain Janjua and Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch at the passing-out parade of 200 police officials on Monday. These officials have been trained by the Pakistan Army in counter-terrorism operations. The Pakistan Army has so far imparted counter-terrorism training to 800 policemen.



The motorcycle-mounted police force would be under the supervision of the chief minister, chief secretary, IGP Balochistan and other senior officials which will ensure security in Quetta which saw an uptick in violence earlier this month when nine members of the Hazara community were killed in targeted shootings and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was targeted in a suicide attack.

“This ‘motorcycle Bardar police force’ will patrol entire Quetta to maintain public order,” Lt Gen Janjua told participants at the passing-out parade where Chief Minister Dr Malik was the chief guest.

The chief minister, on his part, assured the police that his government would utilise its all resources to empower the police in order to combat the menace of terrorism in the province. “We’ll provide resources to the police as it is our responsibility to ensure the protection of life and property of the people living in Balochistan,” he added.

Dr Malik claimed that there have been no politically-motivated recruitments in the police force. “No one has been recruited on the recommendation [sifarish] of any politician, minister or MPA. All recruitments are made by the IGP on merit,” he added.

The chief minister called upon the police officials to fulfill their duties without any fear as “we are committed to rooting out the scourge of terrorism”. Lt Gen Janjua said Pakistan Army’s resources belonged to the police and they could use them whenever and wherever needed. “We have rendered enough sacrifices. Now it’s a time to kill the enemy and eliminate him from our society,” he said. “We should not fear anyone or anything. We must defeat the enemy and restore peace.”

He said terrorists were involved in a medley of crimes, including bombings, kidnapping for ransom, street crime and secessionists plots. “The enemy is also using religion as tool to perpetrate terrorism.”

Lt Gen Janjua said the youth of Balochistan should not be misled by anyone. “Please stop killing innocent people. Stop killing people in the name of religion,” he said addressing the youth. “What kind of freedom they want,” he said referring to the Baloch separatists who have been fighting a low-key insurgency in the province since 2004. “Balochistan is free and it belongs to you people like Pakistan belongs to everyone. Please live peacefully,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2014.