ISLAMABAD: Two premier spy agencies of the military are training the Islamabad police to strengthen its newly-established intelligence units in 18 police stations of the city.

An official told Dawn on the condition of anonymity that on the request of the capital police Corps Commander Rawalpindi Lt-Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa agreed to help the police in making its intelligence gathering system more effective through training of its personnel by Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI).

A team of two constables were selected from each police station for the training programme. The policemen would be trained on how to collect intelligence, analyse them and conclude results.

Besides, they would also be getting guidelines about building connections in the local community.

Officials from all intelligence agencies in the country along with the counterterrorism departments of the provincial police departments and senior police officers are also scheduled to train the units.

“The policemen attended four to five hours long training session at the ISI headquarters on Monday,” the official added.

Earlier, the special branch and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) collected intelligence for the capital police.

However, reports prepared by the special branch, CID or coming from other channels such as intelligence agencies and interior ministry were first shared with the inspector general of the police and then forwarded to the senior superintendent of the police (SSP) and later to the SPs, SDPOs and SHOs.

The official said during a meeting SSP Mohammad Ali Nekokura directed all the SHOs to ask their subordinates to develop connections among the local people.

Besides, each policeman will gather intelligence related to terrorism and other crime once a month.

Published in Dawn, July 8th , 2014