A daring cop who infiltrated militants’ ranks and paid with his life
Bureau report
Saturday, October 29, 2011
PESHAWAR: Police Inspector Ajmeer Shah who was killed in a suicide attack in Risalpur in Nowshera district on Friday had reportedly infiltrated the ranks of the militants by disguising as a militant and spending time with them some years ago in Mohmand Agency.
Knowledgeable sources said the brave cop made the daring move out of a sense of duty. Celebrated police officer Safwat Ghayur, who was a mentor to Ajmeer Shah, is said to have encouraged him to undertake the adventure. Safwat Ghayur too was an adventurous cop and was known to go after criminals and militants. He also took risks and was finally martyred in a suicide bombing while serving as Commandant, Frontier Constabulary.
Police sources said Ajmeer Shah had gained the confidence of the militants in Mohmand Agency after first approaching them in the mountains near Sro Killay area in Charsadda. His stint as a militant enabled him to learn about the militants’ bases, operations and modus operandi. The intelligence that he obtained helped him and the police and secret services to disrupt the militants’ networks and track down many of them later.
In fact, many people who knew Ajmeer Shah claimed that he had been a Talib and a madrassa student in the past. But they apparently were unaware that he had spent time with the Pakistani Taliban while disguising as a militant and had also acquired some religious knowledge in the process.
It was learnt that the militants were furious when Ajmeer Shah left them as they accused him of betrayal. Since then the militants based in Mohmand Agency and loyal to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and their allies elsewhere had been trying to eliminate him. They made quite a few attempts on his life, but Ajmeer Shah proved lucky on previous occasions and survived. Finally his luck ran out.
Police sources said Ajmeer Shah in recent months was exempted from attending a promotion course due to the need to keep him posted in Nowshera, where the militants have been fairly active. His colleagues had warned him that there were reports of suicide bombers having entered Nowshera to target him, but Ajmeer Shah refused to be cowed down. It wasn’t that he was careless about his security, but the man had a brave heart and he wasn’t in the habit of running away from challenges.
According to the police sources, the 36-year old Ajmeer Shah wasn’t willing to get married as he used to say that he won’t be able to live long due to the countless risks to his life. But his parent in his native Charsadda finally prevailed upon him and arranged his marriage recently. Ajmeer Shah was right and now a young widow and old parents are left to mourn his death.
-
