PESHAWAR: Several new checkposts jointly manned by the police and FC personnel have been set up here in the sensitive localities bordering the Khyber Agency and Frontier Region (FR) Peshawar, keeping in view the increasing sabotage acts and free movement of militants.

The personnel of police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) were deployed in the sensitive areas on both sides of the Achini Canal and near Hayatabad, Sarband and FR Peshawar areas to plug the entry points.

During a visit to different localities, including Achini Mera, Mera Balarzai, Siyal Khan Khwar, Wach Nehr, Sra Khavri, Ladawar, Ghaziabad, Jani Garhi-I, Jani Garhi-II, Mashokhel, Frontier Road, Mattani, Badhber and parts of Sarband in rural circle of the provincial metropolis on Sunday, this reporter observed that police and FC personnel had been deployed at entry and exit points to check movement of suspected people day and night.

The presence of law enforcers could be seen almost everywhere in the sensitive areas, but many of the checkpoints made of mud are without electricity and water and seem to be unsafe.

These law enforcers have started patrolling and focusing on protection of the vulnerable localities along the tribal border regions.

The Phase-VI of Hayatabad is stated to be exposed to terrorists’ entry due to its location near the Shalober, Shahkas and Bara areas, where new posts were opened on Sunday to ensure protection to the people.

Sources in police said that police had limited resources and could not cover the long border, especially during night time, but even then they regularly conducted patrolling on the basis of intelligence about possible movement of terrorists.

Rural Circle SP Rahim Shah told Dawn that Frontier Road, connecting Indus Highway at Mattani and Jamrud Road near Hayatabad, was the main route used by terrorists and the new checkpoints jointly manned by the police and FC would play an important role in checking their movement.

SSP Nejeebur Rehman said that within a stretch of 10 kilometres from Hayatabad to Sarband some 24 checkpoints had been set up because maximum of the movement of terrorists was observed in these areas.

He said that dozens of attacks had been foiled on Manzoor Shaheed and Riaz Shaheed police posts because police were regularly checking pedestrians and vehicles on the link road leading to Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency.

Mr Rehman, who oversees police operations in Peshawar, rejected reports about migration of people from the rural area, saying that the police would reach the spot if anyone kept liaison in the hour of need.

“We cannot deploy policemen at every place, but it is our duty to take precautionary measures in case of any threat,” he said.

The SSP said that movement of Afghans was a matter of concern for the police as there was no data about them and they could easily move from one place to another after committing crimes.

He said that ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hotel Restriction (security) Ordinance 2014 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rent Restriction (security) Ordinance 2014’ would help in controlling crimes like kidnapping for ransom and targeted killings in the province.

District officer of FC Sharbat Khan Afridi said that the paramilitary force had about 45 checkposts both in the rural circle and FR Peshawar. He said that the situation had improved to a great extent as the FC used to also check the militants’ movement during night.