PESHAWAR, Feb 22: The government has approved 10 new platoons of the Quick Response Force (QRF) in the Frontier Constabulary (FC) to bolster its efforts in combating terrorism and maintaining law and order in the country.

“We have received sanction about establishment of new platoons of the Quick Response Force by the federal government,” FC Commandant Malik Naveed Khan told APP after the annual passing-out parade of FC recruits at the Shabqadar FC Training School on Thursday.

About 770 recruits have passed out after completing their six months training.

Mr Khan said the main focus was on the professional training of the FC recruits so that they could effectively play their role in maintaining writ of the government and combating terrorism with other security agencies.

When asked about the education level of the recruits, he said that SSC had been made compulsory.

The FC commandant said that his force had been deployed in all the provinces, including the Northern Areas. “The role of the FC in providing protection to VVIPs, VIPs and diplomats in Islamabad has been laudable,” he maintained.

“The morale of FC troops are high and they would not hesitate to shed their last drop of blood for protecting and safeguarding the interests of the country. We will construct a monument in memory of martyrs of the Frontier Constabulary in Shabqadar Fort,” he said.

Earlier, addressing the passing-out parade, the FC commandant said that every effort would be made to further activate the force through better training and modern equipment, besides providing them better residential facilities.

FC Training School district officer Mohammad Shoaib said that strength of the FC had increased after the establishment of 80 new platoons in which the recruitment process of 50 platoons had been completed while their basic training would start from March.

He informed the participants that 200 jawans of the Quick Response Force were performing their duties after completing anti-terrorism training in Karachi.

Mr Shoaib said the sanctioning of 20 per cent welfare quota for jawans was a great step of the FC Commandant. “The launching of bee, goat and fish farming schemes for retired FC personnel, designing of the museum and monument for FC martyrs, construction of new barracks and FC Auditorium in Shahbqadar and FC rest house in Nathia Gali and approval of new block for the FC Headquarters in Peshawar are few of the measures taken by the FC Commandant,” he added.

Mr Shoaib said that the FC Foundation and Citizen Foundation had signed an agreement under which 11 new schools would be constructed in various FC districts.

The Bosnian ambassador to Pakistan, representatives of various foreign embassies and high-ranking severing and retired officers of the FC witnessed the passing-out parade.