KOHAT, July 10: NWFP IGP Mohammad Riffat Pasha has stressed the need for better public-police cooperation to curb crime.

Speaking at a meeting of the elders of the area here at the Police Club on Wednesday, Mr Pasha said that only public-police cooperation could rid the society of various forms of crime.

He urged the elders to help out police in the fight against crime and extremism.

Similarly, he exhorted the police personnel to change their high-handed attitude so that law abiding citizens could feel safe.

The IGP said that it was the duty of the police to provide relief to the people and not scare them away.

He said that stern action should be taken against criminals and lawbreakers, irrespective of their status to make the society free of all crimes.

DIG Kohat Ghulam Mohammad said that despite limited resources the district police had arrested hundreds of outlaws during the last one year and had been able to curb the crime rate.

He said that the police had arranged blood camps and was running the Rescue 15 in an efficient manner.

Shah Abdul Aziz, an MNA from Karak, urged the people not to use the police as a tool for their vested interest or settling scores. He pointed that the image of the police had been distorted by the governments which used it to victimize their opponents and forced the officials to register false cases.

Mufti Ibrar Sultan, MNA from Kohat, stressed the need of inculcating sense of responsibility among the policemen and their aim should be to serve the people.

He said that enemies of the country were out to harm the sectarian harmony therefore people and law enforcement agencies should make collec-tive efforts to identify sinister elements in the society and promote unity among various sects.

Earlier, the IGP inaugurated the newly constructed reporting centre in the Cantonment area and said it would go a long way to redress public’s grievances.