CHARSADDA, May 26: The Charsadda police need about 2,000 more personnel to effectively curb lawlessness and flush out extremist elements from the district, said District Police Officer Nisar Ali Marwat during an interaction with Muhammadzai Union of Journalists here on Thursday.

He said that currently 1,200 police personnel were working in the district, which has a population of 1.7 million. “ To achieve positive and swift results, we will need another 2,000 personnel,” he said.

The DPO said that police were fully committed to their job of providing protection to life and property of people. He said that action in different areas of the district was underway in accordance with the security plan.

He said that a drive against car lifters, absconders, kidnappers and other criminals had been initiated to purge the region of criminals.

Mr Marwat said that in the first phase of operation against anti-social elements about 187 criminals were arrested besides seizure of 10 Kalashnikovs, 12 Kalakovs, 155 pistols, 34 rifles, 85kg charas and dozens of bottles of liquors from different localities.

He said that active support of people to police was of utmost importance to check crimes. The DPO asked people to contact him if they had any complaints against police in any part of the district. He said that police were duty-bound to register FIR on the complaints of affected people.

Mr Marwat said that the image of police had improved due to sacrifices rendered by police jawans against extremists.