January 30, 2008	Wednesday	Muharram 20, 1429

PESHAWAR, Jan 29: The Crisis Management Centre, established in NWFP following the US-led attack in Afghanistan in 2001 is operating without a full-time chief for the last three months, it has been learnt.

An official in the home department told Dawn that the interior ministry had appointed a serving military officer to head the centre when agitation erupted in the provincial capital in the aftermath of US invasion in Afghanistan, which ended six-year Taliban rule in the war-ravaged country.

The centre was established with the assistance of the federal government.

Set up in a portion of NWFP home and tribal affairs department building, the centre was tasked with coordinating the security arrangements between the civil and military agencies, apart from monitoring natural and man-made disasters, law and order situation and political activities.

The head of the centre left the job, when he was given promotion some three months back. The provincial government has now made makeshift arrangements and deputed a deputy secretary to oversee the day-to-day situation at the centre.

Sources said the provincial government had requested the interior ministry to appoint permanent head of the center, but did not receive any response. Now, they said, a proposal was under consideration to appoint an officer of the district management group as head of the centre.