NWFP faces dearth of seasoned cops to maintain order

[Naveed Yaseen]

by Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: As many as 24 senior officers of the police service of Pakistan (PSP) have either quit the Frontier Police or were posted out by the government during the past one year, resulting in dearth of seasoned cops in the province to cope with the worsening law and order.

Though a few cops have also reported to the Frontier Police during the period, their number was not sufficient to fill out the vacuum created in the force after transfer of a large number of officers.

It has been learnt that senior police authorities have approached the federal government to get the services of senior PSP officers to improve the existing law and order. A number of junior officers have been posted as DPOs after the sharp shortage of senior PSPs.

Almost all the officers posted out of the Frontier during the past one year were serving in grade-18 or above. They are presently enjoying key positions in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Islamabad, Federal Investigation Agency and other forces.

Among those who left the Frontier Police during the past year were three additional inspectors general (Ad-IGs), a deputy inspector general and 16 district police officers (DPOs). Fayaz Ahmad Toru is the senior most officer presently posted out of the Frontier Police. He is serving as NWFP home secretary.

Habibur Rahman, a grade-21 Ad-IG, was transferred out of the Frontier almost a year ago. He has been recently posted in Lahore to head the capital city police there. Till last week he was serving as Ad-IG, Balochistan.

Another seasoned member of the Frontier Police, Khurshid Alam Khan, is heading the Northern Areas Police. He was given extension in service by the federal government after he retired as Ad-IG in grade-21 a couple of years ago.

DIG Zulfiqar Cheema succeeded in getting a key post in Punjab almost six months ago. He was performing duty as regional police officer in Gujranwala but has been made officer on special duty these days.

Among the DPOs, Dar Ali Khattak, Waqas Nazir, Ashfaq Ahmad and Akbar Nasir are presently serving in Punjab. Abdul Qadir and Waqas Hassan are among the SPs who were transferred from the Frontier a few days ago to get a slot in Punjab.

Apart from these, Nooran Khan has been presently serving in the FIA, Tahir Khan in National Highways and Motorway Police, Quraysh Khan in Home Department, Yameen Khan in Anti-Corruption Establishment and Rabnawaz Khan in Pakistan Embassy in Kuwait. These officers got their new positions during the past one year.

Two former DPOs, Awal Khan and Nisar Ahmad Tanoli are going through a mid-career management course at National Institute of Public Administration while Qazi Jamilur Rahman is on two-month leave to attend a course in the United Kingdom. A number of SSPs and SPs are also abroad in connection with job, United Nations mission or scholarships.

Abdul Ghaffar Qaisrani, Ijaz Khan and Jawad are among the young officers who recently got a posting out of the NWFP. Two senior most officers, Malik Mohammad Saad and Abid Ali, were killed in two different incidents in January 2007 and December 2006 respectively.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=165198