Islamabad, September 27, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions on Tuesday met under the Chairmanship of Senator Hilal-Ur-Rehman to discuss the present law and order situation in the merged district of erstwhile FATA especially rising target killings cases of renowned personalities. The dealing officer of the merged district Additional Inspector General KPK briefed the committee that in the year 2022, 187 proclaimed offenders are arrested in all Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) so far, as compared to 07 for the year 2021.
Major crimes like murders and attempted murders have shown a downward trend in majority districts in merged districts in 2022 as compared to 2021. So far 2176 kg Charas (+374.343 kg), 271.222 kg opium (+161.96 kg), 152.922 kg Heroin (+14.033kg) and 77.292 kg ICE (+44.448 kg) are recovered in the year 2022.
The committee was briefed that in the year 2022, 553 weapons and 54935 (+44.448 kg) ammunition of different times were recovered. He said that given the proximity of newly merged districts NMDs to neighbourhood Afghanistan and the regional security situation, KP Police is striving hard to keep the law and order under control.
It is evident from the fact that 16 police officials have lost their lives in the line of duty in merged districts in 2022 he further said. The officials briefed the committee that 11 citizens (03 in Bajour, 01 in Khyber and 07 in NWD) from different walks of life were targeted in NMDs in the year 2022.
The additional IG KPK remarked that the people of the tribal areas are as friendly as any good Pakistani is, they were observed to show cooperation during the Bengali tourism in the region. He said that it is important to address their genuine concerns and challenges in the region esp. that of Bajour.
The main challenge the region faces is target killing which needs to be addressed by forming a more robust and proactive infra-structure. He said that the Federal Government should play its role to strengthen the police sector in the region. He pointed out that target killing on the Police Personnel’s during the Polio vaccination and other health awareness programs is regrettable
.“In way to protect the right of the health of children, we are losing our right to life” stated the Additional IG. He said that systematic governance is required to ensure protection. The chairman committee inquired on the consumption of funds worth 138 ml. Senator Hilal Ur Rehman inquired whether the Early Intervention Program EIP or the Association for the Development of Pakistan ADP is responsible for funding and aiding the Police sector.
He inquired on the funds disseminated for development, infrastructure and capacity building to which no definite answer was received. The chairman committee summoned the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Planning and development in the next meeting and sought report on the same.
The officials briefed that after the merger of ex-FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, 24124 officials have completed their basic training while 1152 are undergoing training in Police training schools, Process of recruitment of fresh constables is initiated through ETEA and 1336 candidates have passed the written exam. The process will be completed by end of October.
The officials also briefed that the services of CTD, Special Branch and Investigation Unit, Traffic and Elite Force have been extended to the NMDs. 565 CTD personnel’s. 144 Special Branch personnel and 04 Platoons of Elite Force are deployed in NDMs.
The committee was informed that 16 branches of Police and 1400 CTD personnel are employed separately for merge districts. Furthermore 569 personnel of Elite Force are undergoing training in EPTC Nowshera. Police Stations are working in all NMDs and FIRs are being registered. Trained Moharrers and investigation officers from settled districts are posted in Police stations in NMD to help the newly absorbed officials.
Senator Hidayat Ullah raised question on the qualification and training of the Police officers to which the officials informed that in-service basic training is for all the officers even coming through the CSS exam at the National Police Academy, when raised question on the training on public dealing attitude of the policemen, the officials replied that it is one of the avenues of training and we are working in collaboration with the developing agencies in the region like UNDP and others for physical training skills, responses and other universal functions. The additional IG KPK said that a special course for countering terrorism functions is also being introduced as a training course.
Districts wise list of police personnel’s who were promoted and deputed as DSPs, SHOs and additional SHOs etc in merged districts without following due process with details of their actual scale, present scale and shoulder promotion was also laid in the committee.
The committee was briefed that as per the approve government policies, ex-levied and Khasadars were absorbed in KP police on equivalency basis. The ranks of the ex-levies/ Khasadars at the time of mergers are not given by the KP Police nor withdrawn. They were absorbed as per their existing ranks in ex-levies Khasadars.
On the point of reasons for posting of junior officers as DPOs in merged district with details of their actual grade and qualification was briefed that competent officers both from PSP and Provincial service are posted in NMDs and laid the requisite information by the committee on the same.
Details of absorption of 77 employees of levies /Khasadar force of F.R Lakki Marwat in KP police under notification dated 21st June, 2022 with provision of details on employees like name of employee, father name, Domicile, date of birth, date of first appointment with rank in Levies/Khasadar force and details of those retired employees on whose place they were appointed and absorbed and the criteria adopted for these appointments was also laid on the table.
The committee was briefed by the KP police that no one was appointed on the place of any of any retired employees however they were appointed on ewazi basis and later on they were absorbed in KP police as per policy, while some were appointed as ewazi on nikat basis.
The committee observed that there is a clear disparity of age observed on promotions. The committee showed its dissatisfaction on the report and the agenda was deferred for further probe in the matter
On the matter of vacation of ancestral home (Panakot Rest House, Upper Dir) the matter was deferred for further deliberation. The deputy Commissioner Dir. Upper argued that during recent insurgency ’militancy in district Dir upper, The Pakistan Army established a Brigade head Quarters at Panakot, on the directions of the Provincial Government, Deputy Commissioner Dir Upper vacated the said building. Presently Deputy Commissioner Dir upper is residing in the district lodge, as no government Bungalow is available for the deputy Commissioner at Dir Upper.
It was also argued that the case is pending disposal in the Peshawar High Court Bench, Dar-ul-QAZA Swat. The committee decided to make further deliberation and recommendations till the finalization of the litigation consequently the matter was deferred.
Earlier in the meeting the committee also laid the final report of the subcommittee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) to look into the procedure and utilization of funds to check the on ground availability of development schemes in Tribal Districts of erstwhile FATA.
The report was unanimously accepted with recommendations by Bahramand Khan Tangi to make special re-visits by the committee on selected projects. The subcommittee in its report assured its support to government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in order to raise issue of allocation of 3 pc of divisible pool by the NFC.
Senator Sania Nishter the convener of the subcommittee presented that a GIS system should be integrated with work schemes and system of loading of images should be introduced, it was also recommended that the procurement must be made strict in accordance with the KPPPRA rules.
Public website should be fully operative and updated and issuance of work order must also be made through e –tendering, she said that bio matric deployment, salary suspension, and allocation of 3 pc divisible pool was also part of the report recommendations.
The meeting was attended by Senators, Sania Nishter, Bahramand Khan Tangi, and Shamim Afridi, Haji Hidayat ullah Khan, Senator Gurdeep Singh, Hidayat Ullah and Senator Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah. Officials from the Home Department Govt of KP, Additional IGP operations and other officials of KP police were also in attendance
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