LANDI KOTAL: At least 30 first information reports (FIRs) have so far been registered in three newly-established police stations at three subdivisions of Khyber tribal district since April this year.

District police officer, Khyber, Mohammad Hussain told this correspondent that the process of switching from the old system where most of the powers were concentrated in the office of political agent to the new judicial and policing system had begun. He said that the local people had been showing trust in the new system.

He said that the new regular system of settled areas was in place in tribal districts under the Supreme Court directives.

He said that the department had initiated training of the Khyber Khasadar and Levies force with the start of imparting basic explosive ordinance disposal training to at least 30 newly-converted policemen from Khyber.

Says 30 FIRs so far registered in new police stations

He said that the training process of skilled Khasadar and Levies personnel had begun as there were other regular police courses that included investigation, moharar courses, IT, etc which would be imparted to them in due course of time.

“An indigenous skill development of the new force has also started and a batch of 28 nominated recruits would start their professional training in investigation course soon after Eidul Fitr,” he said.

Mr Hussain said that trained police officials from the settled districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were deputed at the newly-established three police stations to impart professional training and provide necessary guidance to the station house officers and their subordinate staff besides facilitating the complainants and completing the process of FIR registration.

The DPO said that the government had also approved rank to rank absorption of all the Khasadar and Levies personnel which would help in removing fears about their jobs.

“Their service tenure has also been guaranteed alongside getting 60 years service structure and proper promotion mechanism,” he said.

He, however, insisted that it would be premature to expect professional response on the pattern of regular settled district police from the new tribal force.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2019