DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The regional police officer (RPO) Dera Ismail Khan, Syed Ashfaq Anwar, has announced that under the Safe City Project, 480 CCTV cameras will be installed at 88 locations across the Dera city.

Speaking to Dawn at his office, the RPO said that the provincial government was bringing a landmark project to improve the police force, which will leave a lasting mark on the region.

He noted that reconstruction of seven police stations in Dera Ismail Khan would soon be completed and that he was personally monitoring the progress. He added that the district deserved much more, and more projects, including construction of additional police stations, were in the pipeline.

Highlighting the sacrifices of the force, he said that police in the Dera region had faced the worst kind of terrorism, offering their lives to safeguard the country and its people. “Rule of law and welfare of the police force remain our top priorities,” he said.

The RPO explained that under the directives of the provincial government and Inspector General of Police KP, Zulfiqar Hameed, several welfare measures had been initiated. Tenders have already been issued for various development schemes, including reconstruction of police stations in Dera Town, City, Gomal University, Yarak, Cantt-I, Shor Kot (Saddar), and Paharpur.

The projects also include residential barracks for constables, boundary walls, the DPO and RPO offices, traffic headquarters, a command-and-control centre, and a police facilitation centre in Dera.

He further said that work on the Tank Police Lines, damaged in a terrorist attack, had been completed. To enhance security, six new police check-posts are being established on the Dera–Tank Road and four on the Darazinda Road, while repair work is being carried out on existing stations and posts.

The RPO revealed that Chief Minister KP Ali Amin Gandapur had agreed to a proposal for increasing the police strength in the district. A request has been sent to the provincial government for the induction of 600 constables in Dera and 200 in Tank, with cabinet approval expected soon.

“This will directly help in controlling crime and countering terrorism,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2025