PESHAWAR, Dec 31: The NWFP government has asked the health department not to grant medical leave to police personnel for minor ailments because the force is already running short of field staff.

“We have received a request from the authorities regarding police personnel leave. We have forwarded it to all hospitals and doctors,” officials at the directorate of health said.

They said the force had been demoralised by suicide bombings that had killed hundreds of policemen across the NWFP, adding that policemen mostly posted in conflict zones sought medical leave.

It was common for security personnel either to go on long leave to avoid duties in conflict-hit areas or work in plain clothes, a police official said.

He said that policemen were scared of being seen in uniform because they were not adequately equipped.

“Militants are better equipped and there is no way anyone can stop suicide bombers,” he said. He said that since the beginning of troubles in Swat, policemen posted there had been seeking leave, citing minor diseases.

He said the NWFP police department had a total force of 35,000 policemen which was inadequate for controlling the deteriorating law and order situation in the province. The province, he said, could also call up the 17,000-strong Frontier Constabulary.

He said that most of those seeking sick leave were low-ranking officials who were assigned field duties. They lacked training, equipment, vehicles and weapons and their preparedness was very low, he added.

He said that hundreds of policemen had applied for leave on medical grounds.

Police personnel faced tough militant action in Swat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan. Police officials told Dawn that several police officials posted in these tough areas had stopped reporting to their duties.

This year, there have been 30 suicide attacks in the NWFP, mostly targeting police, army and paramilitary personnel. Bombing of police stations, checkpoints and police vehicles have almost become a daily occurrence.

A senior health official told this correspondent that a constable, who was posted in Mingora, Swat, wept when he was denied sick leave.

He said that the man was later granted leave by doctors, when he cited pressure for not reporting to duty where he was posted.