Quality needs to be checked in future
Shamim Shahid
Though Terrorist acts in this region, especially in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is order of the day from last two and half a decades but today the incident occurred in Southern Tank district lead to exposure of quality of Armored Personnel Carrier. In Tank, the unknown terrorists targeted an Armored Personnel Carrier with Improvise Explosive Devise, commonly called as ” locally made remote control bomb.” As a result six precious lives of policemen including Station House Officer lost lives whereas the APC was totally damaged, even smashed into prices.
The incident occurred when Chief Minister Sohail Afridi along with almost of his cabinet members was on last leg of his political trip to Urban Sindh. It yet to be confirmed that whether targeted APC was part of Old or new lot.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police is in possession of around 112 APC. All these APC’s are old and new. Similarly the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police is also in possession of over 100 bullet proof vehicles, mostly jeeps. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is aheas with worst kind of terrirism and extremism from last several decades, therefore each and every government from time to time allocating maximum resources/funds for making equipt its law enforcing agencies, especially the police force in this respect. High ups in government always insisting on ensuring standard and quality of these arms and other defence equipments especially vehicles.
Most recently, on request of police officials, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has approved billion of rupees plan for making effective and strengthening the Counter Terrorism Police in at least 21 districts. In this respect, at least 186 detectors equipped with 638 permanent staffers. All these Field Operators would perform their duties as Cyber Patrolling, intelligence, surveillance and field operators. The Chief Minister Sohail Afridi while chairing high level meeting also approved establishment of CTD Regional Office for ensuring timely response and tackling the terrorists move. The provincial government approved and release a huge amount of RS 4.3 billion for the expansion of CTD at district lever and RS 7.77 billion for latest arms, vehicles and other equipments. Now responsibility rests with no 9tyer than occupants of important offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and civil administration departments to ensure standard and quality of all these arms, vehicles and other equipments.
Earlier due to low quality and poor standard of vehicles, arms and other equipments, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police lost brave, energetic and talented policemen including officers. No one neglect the fact that almost personnel of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police are determined to crush away all these terrorists and to protect the motor land but unfortunately they are in lack of standard arms, vehicles and other materials.
While chairing this extra ordinary important meeting, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said, “mplementation of CTD reforms, infrastructure and recruitment should be ensured according to timelines.” He also said that the implementation of safety protocols will be ensured in all CTD construction projects. Chief Minister said that the provincial government is working seriously to establish law and order. “Lack of resources will not be allowed to become an obstacle in establishing peace in the province”, Sohail Afridi remarked during the meeting.
Earlier, the CM was given a detailed briefing on CTD performance in the meeting, which enabled him of addressing genuine logistic needs of CTD.
In the light of Monday Terrorist attack at Tank, now maximum responsibilities rests with no other than Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Syed Shahab Ali Shah and Inspector General Police Chaudri Zulfikar Hameed to ensure quality of arms, vehicles and other items used by brave policemen while foiling attempts of terrorists throughout the region.
