Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK): A Special Protection Unit is being formed in Azad Jammu Kashmir soon exclusively for the safety and security of the foreigners engaged in the ongoing and forthcoming mega development projects in power generation and other sectors including those being launched under the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) in the State.
This was disclosed by Inspector General of Police, AJK, Shoaib Dastgeer, while talking to a group of senior journalists here on Saturday. He was flanked by Mirpur Division police chief DIG Rashid Naeem, SSP Mirpur Riaz Hussain Bukhari and other senior police officers on this occasion.
Dastgeer continued that the government of Pakistan has accorded formal approval for emergence of the uniformed Special Protection Unit in AJK comprising at least 800 seasoned and trained security men, in three phases at the initial stage, to be hired on contact basis in the AJK police for the security of the foreigners including engineers and other staff engaged in CPEC and non-CPEC projects including the forthcoming Kohala Hydel Power Project in Muzaffarabad district as well as ongoing Gulpur, Bong and other hydel power generation projects, he added.
Responding to series of questions about the reinforcement of the Police Force in AJK, the top boss of the AJK Police said that lot of required steps were being taken to this direction to improve the performance of the force harmonious to the need of the modern age for the safety and security of the masses of this region, which, he admitted, is comparatively much peaceful as compared to any part of the country – vis-a-vis the rate of crimes.
Elaborating, Shoaib Dastgeer stated that at present only 5 percent of the budget allocated for the AJK police was being utilized for operational expenditures – whereas rest of 95 percent of the allocated budget goes in form of the salaries of the employees.
He continued that under the recent move by his office, the AJK government and the AJK Council has issued the special grant of Rs. 10 million, (Rs. 50 lakh each) for the repair of at least 25 police building projects across the region as well as for the petrol / diesel of the police vans fleet. Besides, Rs. Seven million funds were secured for the improvement of the performance of investigation and test / laboratory wings of the AJK police, he added.
The IGP said that existing weapons will be replaced with the latest arms in the wake of the measures to make AJK police well equipped and armed in line with the modern needs. He underlined that the government has released grant of Rs. Three million for purchase of latest ammunition for the force. He underlined that all the utensils for the force including machinery, uniform, shoes etc. would now be purchased in the future after getting checked and approved by the labs to ensure their required high quality.
To a question, Shaib Dastgeer said that existing over 8300 AJK police force was being added with three to four hundred new recruits including cops and the ASIs respectively through direct recruitment process and the AJK Public Service Commission to fill in the vacant positions at the time of requirement.
To another question the top boss of AJK police emphasized the need of the existence of the Anti-terrorist Force Unit in Azad Jammu Kashmir police. He underlined that the matter will be taken up with the central government by the AJK Government for the establishment of the Anti-terrorist Force Unit in Azad Jammu Kashmir to combat against any attempt of subversion and terrorism in the region. “We should always remain alert with professional preparedness to deal with any eventuality”, the AJK police chief said.
To another question, the IGP said that AJK, was no doubt, peaceful region, yet AJK police remains fully alert and vigilant to effectively deal with untoward situation, which, he added, was always imperative to overcome the crimes. He said that regular daily parade of the police force across AJK with exercise of the use of arms, has been made the permanent feature for the full professional preparedness and alertness of the police force throughout AJK. It may be added that this much-needed part of the AJK police force ( daily parade and exercise of the use of arms) had reportedly partially abandoned since past many years.
The IGP also admitted to continue making all the already-available police posts in various housing sectors in Mirpur city vibrant and alert to ensure the safety and security of the lives and properties of the local population and to swiftly deal with any eventuality to this direction.
Earlier, IG of AJK police addressed the darbar of the cops at local police lines and advised them to remain alert and vigilant round the close for performing their duties with the machinery zeal for the safety and security of the lives and properties of the masses through discoursing crimes and to maintain the rule of law through the best of their professional skills and abilities.
The DIG Mirpur range Rashed Naeem and SSP Mirpur Riaz Hussain Bukhari earlier, apprised the AJK police chief of the performance of the police force in Mirpur division and the district in line with the required needs.
