PESHAWAR: The police department has raised a Special Combat Unit that will be trained on the pattern of Zarar Company of Special Services Group (SSG) of the army.

The members of the newly formed unit have been selected from the already existing Elite Force of the police department. The contingent, consisting of 150 personnel of Elite Force, was selected for training on the basis of performance.

Addressing the personnel qualified for the training of Special Combat Unit (SCU) here on Monday, Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani said that they would be trained in all modern warfare tactics to meet the new challenges.

Praising the professionalism and courage of the selected personnel, he asked them to attend their training with full devotion and dedication.

With a total strength of 150 personnel, the SCU will be equipped with sophisticated weapons. It will have at its disposal the quickest possible means of mobility including availability of a standby helicopter facility.

The SCU will be available for movement on zero-minute notice. It could be deployed in any part of the province for sting operations, interdictions, counter-terrorism operations, helicopter and airborne operations and amphibious operations both independently and in support of other police units or law enforcement agencies.

The SCU personnel will be trained in all modern warfare tactics, specialised combat manoeuvring, sophisticated weapons handling, use of modern gadgetry, para-trooping and training in water borne operations.

Meanwhile, addressing an award distribution ceremony at Central Police Office, the IGP said the people involved in making threatening telephone calls would be traced and brought to book at all costs.

The function was arranged in recognition of services of those police officials, who arrested a person for threatening people by telephone.

It may be mentioned here that two prominent politicians of Haripur had received life threatening message and calls from a cellular telephone phone number. They brought the matter into the notice of Haripur DPO, who constituted a team to trace the caller.

The team succeeded in tracing and arresting the caller in Rawalpindi. The arrested person was identified as Obaid Shah, a resident of Ghazi.

A police spokesman said that the suspect was not in good terms with his neighbour. He got a SIM in the name of his neighbour by using his national identity card. He was using the SIM for making threatening calls but he was identified through his voice.

The IGP said that cases of sending life threatening messages were increased manifold.

It had become a challenge for police, he said, adding that police traced such groups by using scientific equipments.

He commended tracing of the accused through scientific investigation and hoped that they would continue their efforts to give tough time to such callers.

The IGP awarded cash prizes and commendation certificates to ASP Wahid Mehmood, SI Sajid Farooq and ASIs, Shafiqur Rehman and Mir Afzal and constable Arif.