RAWALPINDI: After observing poor police performance, the Rawalpindi police have formed a special task force capable of detaining Afghan nationals illegally residing in the district and shifting them to the holding centres on a daily basis for their repatriation.

According to official sources, the task force comprises 13 special teams each having four personnel, one detective foot constable and one official each from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), security branch and the Special Branch field staff.

Mohammad Saifullah will be heading the Pirwadhai police station team, Waqar Haider Ratta Amral, Shafiqul Hasnain will be heading the Taxila police team, Gulzar Hussain police station Wah Cantt, Omer Farooq police station Saddar Wah Cantt, Azhar police station Mandra, Shahid Jamil police station Jatli, Shahid Mehmood Rawat police station and Mohammad Tasleem police station Saddar Barooni.

Likewise, Mohammad Faizan will be heading the team of police station Dhamial, Yasir Iqbal Chontra team, Naeem Raj Wali police station Chakri and Mohammad Rizwan police station Naseerabad.

Team incharges asked to submit reports to chief security officer of their respective division on daily basis

In a directive, the senior superintendent of police operations said in line with the government’s orders, the police crackdown against illegal Afghan nationals was continuing, but the police performance regard was disappointing.

Keeping in view this, the police have established a task force tasked with apprehending illegal Afghan nationals and shifting them to the holding centres on a daily basis.

The concerned police officials (Muharrars) have been directed not to assign any other duty to those selected as members of the special units.

A pro forma was also distributed among the special team in-charges regarding arresting illegal Afghan nationals and submitting their findings by 9pm to the chief security officer of their respective division on a regular basis.

During the last two days, the Rawalpindi police along with Special Branch, CTD and City Traffic Police conducted search and strike operations to arrest Afghan nationals illegally residing in the garrison city.

As many as 92 Afghan nationals illegally residing in the garrison city were detained, while eight cases were registered against landlords and tenants who did not register their tenancy details with the concerned police station.

Police on Friday conducted search operations in different areas and checked 1,123 houses, 336 shops, 49 hotels, two inns and the particulars of a total of 1,524 people, a police spokesman said.

He said that during the search operations, 92 illegal Afghan residents were detained. Eight cases were registered against landlords and tenants who failed to register their tenancy details.

The search operations were conducted in the areas of Kallar Syedan, Rawat, Gujar Khan, Chontra, Dhamial, Mandra, Kahuta, Chakri, Pirwadhai, Ratta Amral, Ganjmandi, City, Waris Khan, Banni, New Town and Sadiqabad.

The operations were aimed at establishing peace and order and rooting out crime.

The police spokesman said that all resources were being used to establish the rule of law and maintain peace and order.

Meanwhile, a man was gunned down by two unidentified motorcycle riders in the RA Bazaar Police Station area on Friday night, police said.

Initial police reports suggested that Adalat Khan, a resident of Tehsil Havelian, Abbottabad, had booked a ride for Ghaziabad. While he was travelling on a motorcycle and reached the PSO Pump on Ghaziabad Street, two unknown individuals arrived on another motorcycle and opened fire with a pistol.

As a result, Adalat Khan was critically injured and died on the spot.

The attackers managed to escape from the scene. Police have launched an investigation into the murder.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2025