THERE has been a unique development on the security front in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Active policemen from these districts have formed police aman (peace) committees to combat the threat of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The need for these committees had arisen because the TTP had declared an open season on policemen and their families. The formation of the committees paid dividends and led to improvement in the law and order situation. Many TTP terrorists were also killed in these encounters.

There is, however, a debate that policemen in these peace committees have now themselves become a vigilante force. They refuse to wear uniforms and insist on having complete autonomy from their parent department. Many among the locals believe that these policemen may soon become Frankenstein’s monsters, who would not be controlled either by their parent department or the establishment.

Akbar Jan Marwat
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026