ISLAMABAD: Following the ongoing protests by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek, the capital police have decided to raise a properly trained and equipped Anti-Riot Unit (ARU).

Officials in the police and the interior ministry told Dawn that the law enforcement agencies had been asked to set up the ARU on the pattern of those in place in European countries and the US.

The ministry has approved the hiring of 2,000 personnel for the ARU, the officials said, adding that the police were asked to complete the paper work, including the recruitment process, acquisition of equipment and vehicles for the unit.

After a number of failures to counter mob agitations during the last one decade, the quarters concerned have realised the need to set up a specialised unit.

The officials said agitations in the capital, including after the killing of a religious leader in 2003, against the blasphemous film released in the US in 2012 and the pro-judiciary movement in 2007, exposed the police’s inability to tackle street protests.

Interior ministry approves hiring of 2,000 personnel for the unit

The sit-ins in the city by the two political parties further necessitated the setting up of such a force.

The capital police have 300 personnel in its ARU, who have received only basic police training. The officials said they were not skilled in dealing with a mob.

The IGP Islamabad formed a striking force of 1,500 personnel, comprising officials of the capital and Punjab police, to act as an ARU against the participants of the sit-ins. But they too had only basic police training.

The capital police even could not properly use teargas and sometimes their personnel became a victim of the shells themselves.

Baton charge, tear gas and rubber bullets and manpower are tools used against a mob.

Gears, including helmets and shields, are used for protection by the police. But most of the equipment was snatched by the protesters.

A senior police officer said the interior ministry had asked IGP Islamabad Tahir Alam Khan to complete the paper work about the recruitment of 2,000 personnel for the unit.

He said help was also being sought from the US and European countries, which had been assisting the police in training and equipment acquisition.

Published in Dawn, October 14th , 2014