PESHAWAR: Police here on Wednesday launched Ababeel Squad, an exclusive patrolling force, to control street crimes in the provincial capital.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan formally launched the squad at police lines here. Initially, the squad will consist of 800 specially trained police personnel and 200 customised motorbikes for round the clock patrolling throughout the city, said an official statement.

The distinctly uniformed Ababeel Squad has been equipped with modern communication devices, body cameras, drone cameras and other technological gadgets for smart surveillance.

The squad has been connected to central control room through wireless communication system.

The entire city has been divided into 100 different beats for patrolling purpose. Two rider squads will simultaneously patrol each beat. Later on, 800 more personnel and 200 more motorbikes will be added to the squad.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mahmood Khan appreciated senior officials of the force for raising the special squad.

He said that separate unit was required in the backdrop of increase in population and soaring rate of street crimes in the city.

He said that the squad would have great impact on the overall law and order in the city and would be helpful to effectively prevent street crimes. He said that it was also desperately needed to maintain law and order during the upcoming local bodies’ elections.

The chief minister said that in next phase, Ababeel Squad would be rolled out to divisional headquarters and district headquarters as well. He said that police officers rendered great sacrifices to protect the citizens during the war against terrorism.

“The government and people of this province are proud of their police,” he said and hoped that police would continue to serve citizens with the same spirit and enthusiasm. He added that government would extend all out support to police for the purpose.

The chief minister asked senior police officials to introduce a mechanism of reward and punishment to make the newly-formed quad an effective force.

IGP Moazzam Jah Ansari briefed the participants about the purpose and salient features of the squad.

Later talking to media, the chief minister said that progress on safe city project for Peshawar was also under way.

He added that a suitable piece of land was already identified and project management unit was established for the purpose.

To a query, he said that current inflation was not only a problem of Pakistan rather it was a global phenomenon.

However, he said, government was taking result-oriented steps to provide maximum relief to people.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2021