Exit army, enter police
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waraich66
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Thankfully i am not, but fortunately i think clearly
Your Country-What's with the flags beneath your avatar, dude!?
As for restructuring of police force, over to MoI.
As for putting 'more load' on existing foundations, sir what if the foundation is not at all holding any load in the first place?
Read below article just for reference.India already started training of counterinsurgency central police force .
Jammu, Aug 20 Five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalions, comprising 5000 personnel, would be trained by the army to prepare them for counter insurgency (CI) operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
" Army would train CRPF jawans in counter insurgency warfare before their induction into CI grid in Jammu and Kashmir. Three battalions would be inducted in Jammu and two in Kashmir," CRPF Inspector General (IG), A K Saxena told PTI.
As per the guidelines issued by the Centre in this regard, these CRPF battalions would replace the BSF personnel currently deployed in counter insurgency operations in the state, he said.
The army would soon start training the CRPF battalions in special operations against militants and CI operations in their battle schools at Balra (Bhaderwah) in Doda district and Sarore in Rajouri district.
Beauty of this forum is you can discuss your ideas and suggestion,no body is pefect , we need to develop habbit to listen others.
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fatman17
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EDITORIAL: Exit army, enter police
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani says the government is preparing an exit policy for the army from areas in the settled districts of NWFP and the Tribal Areas (FATA plus PATA) where the army is currently battling the Taliban. He has in mind a beefed-up police force and a competent administration to fill the power vacuum after the army leaves. He said this in Peshawar where the provincial Assembly was bickering over the new budget which everyone thought was chicken-feed compared to the provinces challenges.
The PM has set aside Rs25 billion for the capacity building of civil armed forces. The sum would be released to the provincial government in six instalments, and would be spent over the next two years on training and the provision of equipment needed for sound civil administration in the troubled areas. He has not given a timeline but it is obvious that the army can withdraw from the areas only after some semblance of a civilian force has come into being to take up the slack. If all goes well, the first tranche of Rs4 million would be available next month.
The task of creating a good police will start together with the return of the Malakand refugees: the police will be beefed up in both Peshawar and Malakand as well as in the frontier region cities and the FATA. Needless to say, there will be some urgency in the setting up of a good police infrastructure in Malakand and Peshawar where the Taliban had virtually taken over. There are no two opinions about the process. If you want to fight the terrorists, develop police muscle.
The Americans have learned this in Iraq and Afghanistan and have therefore allocated USD700 million under the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund for enhancing the capability of Pakistans security forces. This money will be available from September. For the sake of proportion, as one expert opined, only Malakand with a population of 3 million will require a 25,000 strong police force with an average trooper salary of Rs10,000. In dollar terms, this would not be a big annual price for peace. After good administration has revived the local economy in the coming years, Malakand could generate its own revenue to meet this expense.
Action on the project could come sooner than expected. Buner is coming back to life again and the refugees are keen to return to their homes there. Out of a population of 700,000, one half had fled; now 6,000 are already back, confident that the army will protect them. The NWFP will have to set up the police infrastructure there in quick time. The army has killed nearly 500 Taliban out of an estimated 1,000 in Buner, most of them local. Once the army leaves the cleared areas the local Taliban will be back unless thwarted by the police.
If Pakistan has to fight the terrorists and keep the army ready for facing India, it must develop its police cadres. Punjab, which has the largest police force, is able to field only 166,944 men. The police chief in Lahore says he will require a budget of Rs40 billion annually to give the province the police it deserves. Conscious of the poverty-stricken force, Lahore has doubled salaries but more men under arms are needed. Karachi has a sanctioned police strength of 29,000 but probably needs double that number to cope with the as-yet uncounted no-go areas where it has not entered so far. However, with funds is also required a review of what kind of police force is required and whether the police as currently configured and the benchmarks on which personnel are recruited are sufficient.
A case can also be made for the strengthening of the paramilitary force which comes to the help of the police when trouble gets out of hand. At 1.3 million, India has the worlds second largest paramilitary force after China. Pakistan should have a proportionally enlarged and better trained paramilitary doing what is called constabulary duties. The NWFP will need to do that more urgently than the rest of the country. The setting up of a cantonment in Swat will lift Malakand up economically as cantonments in many formerly backward areas have demonstrated through the creation of civilian jobs. But the police will remain the linchpin of the final solution. *
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani says the government is preparing an exit policy for the army from areas in the settled districts of NWFP and the Tribal Areas (FATA plus PATA) where the army is currently battling the Taliban. He has in mind a beefed-up police force and a competent administration to fill the power vacuum after the army leaves. He said this in Peshawar where the provincial Assembly was bickering over the new budget which everyone thought was chicken-feed compared to the provinces challenges.
The PM has set aside Rs25 billion for the capacity building of civil armed forces. The sum would be released to the provincial government in six instalments, and would be spent over the next two years on training and the provision of equipment needed for sound civil administration in the troubled areas. He has not given a timeline but it is obvious that the army can withdraw from the areas only after some semblance of a civilian force has come into being to take up the slack. If all goes well, the first tranche of Rs4 million would be available next month.
The task of creating a good police will start together with the return of the Malakand refugees: the police will be beefed up in both Peshawar and Malakand as well as in the frontier region cities and the FATA. Needless to say, there will be some urgency in the setting up of a good police infrastructure in Malakand and Peshawar where the Taliban had virtually taken over. There are no two opinions about the process. If you want to fight the terrorists, develop police muscle.
The Americans have learned this in Iraq and Afghanistan and have therefore allocated USD700 million under the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund for enhancing the capability of Pakistans security forces. This money will be available from September. For the sake of proportion, as one expert opined, only Malakand with a population of 3 million will require a 25,000 strong police force with an average trooper salary of Rs10,000. In dollar terms, this would not be a big annual price for peace. After good administration has revived the local economy in the coming years, Malakand could generate its own revenue to meet this expense.
Action on the project could come sooner than expected. Buner is coming back to life again and the refugees are keen to return to their homes there. Out of a population of 700,000, one half had fled; now 6,000 are already back, confident that the army will protect them. The NWFP will have to set up the police infrastructure there in quick time. The army has killed nearly 500 Taliban out of an estimated 1,000 in Buner, most of them local. Once the army leaves the cleared areas the local Taliban will be back unless thwarted by the police.
If Pakistan has to fight the terrorists and keep the army ready for facing India, it must develop its police cadres. Punjab, which has the largest police force, is able to field only 166,944 men. The police chief in Lahore says he will require a budget of Rs40 billion annually to give the province the police it deserves. Conscious of the poverty-stricken force, Lahore has doubled salaries but more men under arms are needed. Karachi has a sanctioned police strength of 29,000 but probably needs double that number to cope with the as-yet uncounted no-go areas where it has not entered so far. However, with funds is also required a review of what kind of police force is required and whether the police as currently configured and the benchmarks on which personnel are recruited are sufficient.
A case can also be made for the strengthening of the paramilitary force which comes to the help of the police when trouble gets out of hand. At 1.3 million, India has the worlds second largest paramilitary force after China. Pakistan should have a proportionally enlarged and better trained paramilitary doing what is called constabulary duties. The NWFP will need to do that more urgently than the rest of the country. The setting up of a cantonment in Swat will lift Malakand up economically as cantonments in many formerly backward areas have demonstrated through the creation of civilian jobs. But the police will remain the linchpin of the final solution. *
Xeric
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What exactly you are trying to tell us dude?
On one side you say that that we shouldn't out 'more' load on existing foundations and then at the same time you tell us that even india is training its 'EXISTING' forces in COIN-isn't that's what we are doing sir?
And as for your last line comment that's why ia m replying to you, otherwise you have seen how many people has taken notice of your comments.
waraich66
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My idea was that this counter insurgency police force should under the federal government .
Thank you for bearing my comments.
Xeric
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Whether it be under feds or provinces does it matter? Ok there might be some pros cons for this, but presently we need to make our police and para-military capable if taking care of this terrorism BS, bringing them under the feds is a separate issue, let the time come, i would love to see a dedicated COIN force under the feds but that would require time and resources which actually we dont have, as of now.
BTW, if you missed, Pakistan is a 'federation'
fatman17
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COMMENT: Improving security Shaukat Qadir
There are no marksmen in the police, not even with sniper rifles let alone specialists with handguns. There must be a large portion of the police force trained as experts in all kinds of weapons
The two fields of intelligence and security, though divergent in their roles, must work in tandem to ensure the security of the people of any nation. While intelligence collects and collates information to arrive at reasonable conclusions to predict a threat, it is for security agencies to take measures to protect the nation and/or its people against the threat. The military is the principal security agency, but it is also the ultimate one for day-to-day security, the responsibility lies with the police.
When the Sri Lankan cricket team was scheduled to visit Pakistan, intelligence agencies had warned the Punjab provincial government that it was likely Indias RAW would target them. Whether it was RAW or not, the Sri Lankan team was attacked and, despite the lax security, only the intrepid courage of some policemen and the bus driver averted a more serious mishap.
When the police training school at Manawan on the outskirts of Lahore was attacked, intelligence agencies had again predicted the likelihood of a suicide attack; in fact they had predicted that the police would be the most likely target. Yet, the attackers captured the training school. To the credit of the security forces, the response was swift and within hours the building was recaptured.
In May, again intelligence agencies had warned the government of the presence of suicide bombers in Lahore and had again predicted that intelligence/security agencies would be targeted. The fact that the suicide bomber was prevented from attacking the offices of the ISI where, we were later told, the ISI chief was present at the time, could be considered a success of sorts, but he still succeeded in killing twenty-six, including fifteen policemen and an ISI colonel.
Among the many changes that have occurred is the fact that the once despised police force of the country, frequently referred to in a derogatory manner as puls, is now viewed by most members of the public with sympathy or respect. However, this does not change the fact that our police force has never been trained for security. It is basically a traffic police that has, because of the extraordinary powers it enjoys, occasionally solved crimes more through the use of torture than with the help of a forensic investigation. It would be unfair not to acknowledge here that the quality of the intake in the officer cadre has improved dramatically in the recent past.
Nonetheless, even the so-called Elite Force gives the impression of being more bulging muscle and stomach, rather than an efficient SWAT team that we can frequently see in American movies. This is our real deficiency security in these times of constant threat from an invisible enemy the suicide bomber. While there is always plenty of scope for improvement in our intelligence agencies, our security agencies have been pathetic and their rate of improvement has not kept up with the growing threat.
To begin with, security personnel are trained to be on the lookout for anything unusual: an individual aimlessly loitering close to a possible target; a vehicle that circles round the block slowly close to a possible target; an individual whose clothes bulge unnaturally. In other words, anything that arouses their suspicion, demands their immediate investigation. Once again, to be fair to them, there have been occasions when they have acted on their suspicions to prevent tragedy, but these have been due to an individuals response, not due to their training.
In the prevalent environment, all police personnel must be well trained in the use of small arms and each one should be armed at all times. When the attack on the Sri Lankan team occurred, the eight policemen who died in the line of duty were castigated by many for failing to react when the attack occurred. Most people are unaware and, obviously, the administration was reluctant to admit that while they were carrying weapons, they had no ammunition! Due to their lack of training, the ammunition was in safe custody, with the havaldar who was following the convoy.
Individuals will need to be trained to exercise initiative and act on their own without waiting for orders. When they do so, it will frequently result in inconvenience to the public and thus it will be essential to launch a publicity campaign to tell the public that these precautions are necessitated by a desire to enhance public security. Sometimes policemen will err and irate citizens will need to be pacified, but so long as the policemen act in good faith, they should be encouraged. However, it will also be necessary to train policemen to be polite, even as they must be firm and resolute.
There are no marksmen in the police, not even with sniper rifles let alone specialists with handguns. There must be a large portion of the police force trained as experts in all kinds of weapons. When they look at a building they must immediately look for its vulnerabilities and strengths: which locations are essential to protect it; which locations can be used to target it etc.
They must be trained to recognise explosives of all kinds and the composition of ingredients that can help make improvised explosive devices (IEDs). All this requires a very special mentality, which can only be the outcome of extensive training.
Then, they must have efficient communication systems and efficient response teams. Once a crime has occurred, they must be trained in crime investigation, forensics, and the collection of evidence.
The list is unending. And this is not the role of the military. I can but hope that these brave soldiers who police our country are trained and equipped to perform their role. And I can only hope that someone in authority realises the importance of this having been done the day before yesterday! They are now our first line of defence.
This article is a modified version of one originally written for the daily National. He is also former vice president and founder of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI)
There are no marksmen in the police, not even with sniper rifles let alone specialists with handguns. There must be a large portion of the police force trained as experts in all kinds of weapons
The two fields of intelligence and security, though divergent in their roles, must work in tandem to ensure the security of the people of any nation. While intelligence collects and collates information to arrive at reasonable conclusions to predict a threat, it is for security agencies to take measures to protect the nation and/or its people against the threat. The military is the principal security agency, but it is also the ultimate one for day-to-day security, the responsibility lies with the police.
When the Sri Lankan cricket team was scheduled to visit Pakistan, intelligence agencies had warned the Punjab provincial government that it was likely Indias RAW would target them. Whether it was RAW or not, the Sri Lankan team was attacked and, despite the lax security, only the intrepid courage of some policemen and the bus driver averted a more serious mishap.
When the police training school at Manawan on the outskirts of Lahore was attacked, intelligence agencies had again predicted the likelihood of a suicide attack; in fact they had predicted that the police would be the most likely target. Yet, the attackers captured the training school. To the credit of the security forces, the response was swift and within hours the building was recaptured.
In May, again intelligence agencies had warned the government of the presence of suicide bombers in Lahore and had again predicted that intelligence/security agencies would be targeted. The fact that the suicide bomber was prevented from attacking the offices of the ISI where, we were later told, the ISI chief was present at the time, could be considered a success of sorts, but he still succeeded in killing twenty-six, including fifteen policemen and an ISI colonel.
Among the many changes that have occurred is the fact that the once despised police force of the country, frequently referred to in a derogatory manner as puls, is now viewed by most members of the public with sympathy or respect. However, this does not change the fact that our police force has never been trained for security. It is basically a traffic police that has, because of the extraordinary powers it enjoys, occasionally solved crimes more through the use of torture than with the help of a forensic investigation. It would be unfair not to acknowledge here that the quality of the intake in the officer cadre has improved dramatically in the recent past.
Nonetheless, even the so-called Elite Force gives the impression of being more bulging muscle and stomach, rather than an efficient SWAT team that we can frequently see in American movies. This is our real deficiency security in these times of constant threat from an invisible enemy the suicide bomber. While there is always plenty of scope for improvement in our intelligence agencies, our security agencies have been pathetic and their rate of improvement has not kept up with the growing threat.
To begin with, security personnel are trained to be on the lookout for anything unusual: an individual aimlessly loitering close to a possible target; a vehicle that circles round the block slowly close to a possible target; an individual whose clothes bulge unnaturally. In other words, anything that arouses their suspicion, demands their immediate investigation. Once again, to be fair to them, there have been occasions when they have acted on their suspicions to prevent tragedy, but these have been due to an individuals response, not due to their training.
In the prevalent environment, all police personnel must be well trained in the use of small arms and each one should be armed at all times. When the attack on the Sri Lankan team occurred, the eight policemen who died in the line of duty were castigated by many for failing to react when the attack occurred. Most people are unaware and, obviously, the administration was reluctant to admit that while they were carrying weapons, they had no ammunition! Due to their lack of training, the ammunition was in safe custody, with the havaldar who was following the convoy.
Individuals will need to be trained to exercise initiative and act on their own without waiting for orders. When they do so, it will frequently result in inconvenience to the public and thus it will be essential to launch a publicity campaign to tell the public that these precautions are necessitated by a desire to enhance public security. Sometimes policemen will err and irate citizens will need to be pacified, but so long as the policemen act in good faith, they should be encouraged. However, it will also be necessary to train policemen to be polite, even as they must be firm and resolute.
There are no marksmen in the police, not even with sniper rifles let alone specialists with handguns. There must be a large portion of the police force trained as experts in all kinds of weapons. When they look at a building they must immediately look for its vulnerabilities and strengths: which locations are essential to protect it; which locations can be used to target it etc.
They must be trained to recognise explosives of all kinds and the composition of ingredients that can help make improvised explosive devices (IEDs). All this requires a very special mentality, which can only be the outcome of extensive training.
Then, they must have efficient communication systems and efficient response teams. Once a crime has occurred, they must be trained in crime investigation, forensics, and the collection of evidence.
The list is unending. And this is not the role of the military. I can but hope that these brave soldiers who police our country are trained and equipped to perform their role. And I can only hope that someone in authority realises the importance of this having been done the day before yesterday! They are now our first line of defence.
This article is a modified version of one originally written for the daily National. He is also former vice president and founder of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI)
pakomar
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Monday, July 06, 2009
By By M. Waqar Bhatti
Karachi
A comprehensive plan is being chalked out by the Sindh Police to enhance coordination between the provincial police force and the army by holding refresher courses and imparting extensive anti-terrorist training after regular intervals to at least 20 per cent of its total personnel in order to bring them at par with the Elite Force of the Punjab Police, officials told The News.
Following criticism on the performance and inability to promptly respond to any terrorism threat, the Sindh Police high-ups were compelled to come up with a renewed strategy to deal with the emerging challenges of terrorism, by focussing on the training of officials and personnel on the pattern of army.
In this regard, a Rapid Response Force (RRF) or Special Protection Group has been raised, whose first batch has been ready for deployment and to deal with any eventuality in Karachi and nearby areas from July 01, said Assistant Inspector General (Finance) Dost Ali Baloch while discussing the aims and objectives of the formation of a special group within the police force.
Sindh Polices preparedness for expected upcoming threats and events will not end with the raising of Rapid Response Force but there are further plans to improve coordination between police force and army, as they jointly work in case of any serious potential threat or major incident of terrorism, the AIG observed.
He said it would never be a wise decision to call the personnel from police stations and police headquarters to deal with any incident of terrorism like attack on Police Training Centre in Manawan, Lahore, as the regular force was neither trained nor it got all the required gadgets or swiftness to deal with such situations.
And ultimately, civil administration is compelled to call Rangers and then army to deal with highly trained and heavily armed terrorists, which led us to plan for the training of our force on the pattern of Punjab Elite Force, which remains busy in regular training and refresher courses along with military personnel, he added.
Interestingly, the RRF or Special Protection Group, being quietly raised by Sindh police, was caught-up in controversies prior to its launching when several serving police officials alleged that favourites were being given preference in the new force and some even went to higher courts against alleged discrimination in promotions and on the basis of seniority issues. But the AIG Finance of Sindh Police denies the charges, saying instead of favouritism, volunteerism was the criteria to join the force along with professional standing, previous performance and age.
The inspectors who were absorbed in the force had volunteered for the job and as per the criteria set for the new force by its trainers and planners, assistant sub inspectors, sub inspectors and inspectors had to be up to 35 years of age while sepoys, constables and head constables were required to be under 30 years, he disclosed. It is worth mentioning here that the formation of a special protection group was approved by the then President of Pakistan in 1985 solely for the protection of VVIPs, in all the four provinces and Azad Kashmir but Sindh police officials deny their RRF has anything to do with that proposal of 1985.
RRFs summary was approved by the provincial chief executive, it was duly notified and even a separate budget was allocated for its formation and expenses in the provincial finance bill, Dost Ali informed.
An SP now serving at RRF said that their first unit of 50 personnel having their own transport, special weapons and training with all the prerequisites to deal with all kinds of eventualities was almost ready and expected to respond on the pattern of modern forces of the developed world.
We dont have to call for bomb disposal squad as we have trained explosive experts in the unit; we have snipers and all the members of the unit are fully equipped with imported specialized weapons and communication apparatus, the SP said requesting anonymity.
In the days of peace, the units of the force would continue to undergo extensive training at police training centres as well as at the training facilities of Rangers and army and even the Special Services Group (SSG) to improve their technical and tactical abilities, he added.
Many for the officials and personnel selected or volunteered for the force have undergone training at SSG headquarters in Chirat, NWFP, as well as at similar training facilities elsewhere in the country and the remaining members would also benefit from their expertise in this regard, he maintained.
Sindh Police to establish special force to combat terrorism
By By M. Waqar Bhatti
Karachi
A comprehensive plan is being chalked out by the Sindh Police to enhance coordination between the provincial police force and the army by holding refresher courses and imparting extensive anti-terrorist training after regular intervals to at least 20 per cent of its total personnel in order to bring them at par with the Elite Force of the Punjab Police, officials told The News.
Following criticism on the performance and inability to promptly respond to any terrorism threat, the Sindh Police high-ups were compelled to come up with a renewed strategy to deal with the emerging challenges of terrorism, by focussing on the training of officials and personnel on the pattern of army.
In this regard, a Rapid Response Force (RRF) or Special Protection Group has been raised, whose first batch has been ready for deployment and to deal with any eventuality in Karachi and nearby areas from July 01, said Assistant Inspector General (Finance) Dost Ali Baloch while discussing the aims and objectives of the formation of a special group within the police force.
Sindh Polices preparedness for expected upcoming threats and events will not end with the raising of Rapid Response Force but there are further plans to improve coordination between police force and army, as they jointly work in case of any serious potential threat or major incident of terrorism, the AIG observed.
He said it would never be a wise decision to call the personnel from police stations and police headquarters to deal with any incident of terrorism like attack on Police Training Centre in Manawan, Lahore, as the regular force was neither trained nor it got all the required gadgets or swiftness to deal with such situations.
And ultimately, civil administration is compelled to call Rangers and then army to deal with highly trained and heavily armed terrorists, which led us to plan for the training of our force on the pattern of Punjab Elite Force, which remains busy in regular training and refresher courses along with military personnel, he added.
Interestingly, the RRF or Special Protection Group, being quietly raised by Sindh police, was caught-up in controversies prior to its launching when several serving police officials alleged that favourites were being given preference in the new force and some even went to higher courts against alleged discrimination in promotions and on the basis of seniority issues. But the AIG Finance of Sindh Police denies the charges, saying instead of favouritism, volunteerism was the criteria to join the force along with professional standing, previous performance and age.
The inspectors who were absorbed in the force had volunteered for the job and as per the criteria set for the new force by its trainers and planners, assistant sub inspectors, sub inspectors and inspectors had to be up to 35 years of age while sepoys, constables and head constables were required to be under 30 years, he disclosed. It is worth mentioning here that the formation of a special protection group was approved by the then President of Pakistan in 1985 solely for the protection of VVIPs, in all the four provinces and Azad Kashmir but Sindh police officials deny their RRF has anything to do with that proposal of 1985.
RRFs summary was approved by the provincial chief executive, it was duly notified and even a separate budget was allocated for its formation and expenses in the provincial finance bill, Dost Ali informed.
An SP now serving at RRF said that their first unit of 50 personnel having their own transport, special weapons and training with all the prerequisites to deal with all kinds of eventualities was almost ready and expected to respond on the pattern of modern forces of the developed world.
We dont have to call for bomb disposal squad as we have trained explosive experts in the unit; we have snipers and all the members of the unit are fully equipped with imported specialized weapons and communication apparatus, the SP said requesting anonymity.
In the days of peace, the units of the force would continue to undergo extensive training at police training centres as well as at the training facilities of Rangers and army and even the Special Services Group (SSG) to improve their technical and tactical abilities, he added.
Many for the officials and personnel selected or volunteered for the force have undergone training at SSG headquarters in Chirat, NWFP, as well as at similar training facilities elsewhere in the country and the remaining members would also benefit from their expertise in this regard, he maintained.
Sindh Police to establish special force to combat terrorism
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Pakistan police get new anti-terror training
By Khurram Shahzad (AFP) 13 hours ago
SIHALA, Pakistan Blissful sleep for Bazgha Salim Raza ends at 5:00 am when the whistle blows at Pakistan's biggest police academy, and she begins a day of martial arts, punishing drills and counter-terrorism training.
Raza and her colleagues rush to complete their early morning prayers before instructor Ghulam Rasool orders them on the march around the 350-acre (142-hectare) Sihala training grounds about an hour's drive from Islamabad.
"I teach them martial arts, camouflage and different ways to advance on the enemy without letting him know," said Rasool, before bellowing "snake walk!" and watching recruits bend at the knee and advance in zig-zags.
"I also teach them the monkey walk and tiger walk to hide from enemies during an operation or defensive action," he told AFP.
Raza is one of 40 women and 433 men who in May became the first batch of recruits embarking on a new police training regime, remoulded to fight terror as Taliban attacks plague Pakistan's cities and towns.
Critics say that a wave of suicide bombings has exposed a cash-strapped police force woefully incapable of fighting insurgents.
But Sihala staff say the revamped curriculum of close combat skills, psychological endurance, CCTV analysis and forensic investigation will help the cops of tomorrow fight militants and stop attacks.
"We have revised all our courses after the increase in suicide and other terrorist attacks," said Nasir Khan Durrani, head of the school.
Tall, strong and dressed in a smart dark blue police uniform, Raza says she joined up to eliminate crime and militancy from her troubled homeland.
"We should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our men in the fight against terrorism. Women should not stay behind in the war for the nation's survival," said Raza, who has a masters degree in research.
About 2,000 Pakistanis have been killed in deadly bomb attacks blamed on Islamist militants around the country over the last two years.
The death of Pakistan Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone missile attack earlier this month has boosted morale, and there appears to have been a lull in bombings since the strike.
But Durrani recognises the Taliban are a tough foe, and says that his recruits need the latest training to take their places alongside the military and powerful intelligence agencies.
"The video technology, close combat methods and psychological strength will be new lessons imparted by top experts," said Durrani.
Until recently, police training was limited to mob dispersal, firearms use and law enforcement.
"The old instructors will be replaced with on-field officers who have been through the experience of suicide attacks and terrorist ambush," said Durrani.
"We are also in talks with the United States to get help in scientific training and two of their experts are likely to arrive within three months.
"They will train us in investigating complicated crimes and dealing with improvised explosive devices (IEDs)," said Durrani.
But analysts believe improved training alone is not sufficient.
"We need to adopt more technological advancements and strengthen the communication networks, besides improving the cops' training," said Sharf-ud-din Memon, the head of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee.
"Our police should have a system to break and trace mobile phone conversations," said Memon, adding that a network of CCTV cameras should be installed in all major cities.
The force remains short of recruits -- for 167 million Pakistanis, there are just 383,000 police officers.
Funding is also a problem, despite some recent investment. The government this year doubled the salaries of the police, but they remain woefully low, with a new constable earning 12,000 rupees (145 dollars) a month.
Arif Babar, a spokesman for Sihala academy, said the centre had been given a 4.5 million rupee (54,000 dollar) bump in funding this year but that still was not enough to pay for the instructors they needed.
"We still need more funds for better training and have demanded an additional grant of 33 million rupees," said Babar.
AFP: Pakistan police get new anti-terror training
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Community Policing, With a Vengeance
By Pir Zubair Shah
August 27, 2009, 5:21 pm
Pir Zubair Shah is a journalist with The New York Times in Pakistan. He glimpsed a new policing initiative in Swat while reporting on Pakistans offensive against the Taliban: Trying to Heal, Pakistan Valley Fears New Battles and todays story on a bomb attack on police officers on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
MINGORA, PakistanWe visited a police station in Mingora, where we met some of the local people being recruited into Swats new community police force. We saw a huge line, all of them young men. Most seemed to be from a poor background, judging from their shabby clothes and untrimmed beards.
The New York Times
The officer in charge told us they were planning to introduce a new system of community policing and recruit more than 3,000 people from all across Swat to serve in their own villages. Most of the applicants were from Mingora and its outskirts, because the displaced people from only these areas had been asked to return to Swat. Military operations to clear out the Taliban were still going on in other hills, valleys and villages.
The authorities will pay the community policemen $120 per month, which is better pay than what the police had before.
This is a good idea, because previously the police in Swat were not from the area. They were not well acquainted with the lay of the land or the people. When the Taliban started their activities in Swat two years ago, their first targets were police officers because not only were they the first obvious sign of government, and but also they were not from local communities, so the Taliban feared no retribution.
Now, with this new system, the authorities expect that local police officers will be better able to check on Taliban fighters returning to their villages. Equally importantly, if a community policeman is harmed or killed there will be a tribe or a family behind him: If a local community policeman in Swat is harmed by a Talib, the Talib will face retaliation from the policemans family and tribe.
We saw this last year in Buner, bordering Swat, when militants killed eight local policemen and escaped into the mountains. The dead mens relatives and fellow villagers chased them down and killed them. But in Swat, until recently the policemen were not local, so their deaths did not provoke instant revenge.
I know the importance of having local and tribal ties from my own experience. Last year I was captured by the Taliban in the Mohmand tribal area, bordering Afghanistan. I was held for two nights and three days, and I know the major factor in getting me out was that I am from Waziristan and am a member of the Mehsud tribe. Because of this, my family was able to approach their fellow tribesmen within the Taliban in that area.
But there is also a darker side to having a community police force. The Taliban have killed other local residents, and the community police force could easily turn into a vehicle for revenge.
This was obvious to me from interviewing one of the volunteers. The man, Javed Ali, did not seem poor like the others. I learned that he had returned from working in Saudi Arabia. What I need is a weapon and the power to use it against the Taliban if they try returning to my village, he said. It was obvious that he wanted an official gun and the authority to use it.
This could carry the risk of eventual civil war, with locals in the community police pitted against locals in the Taliban.
It will depend on how well the police force is managed, and how good the screening process is, to make sure people dont join only to carry out their personal interests. The authorities will also have to make sure the force is not infiltrated by Taliban fighters pretending to be returning villagers.
Community Policing, With a Vengeance - At War Blog - NYTimes.com
fatman17
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as the above articles clearly state the Police Forces in all 4 provinces are in shambles and complete disarry. they need to be re-organised from the very basics which means that the Police Act of 1835 or is it 1935 needs to be updated.
The Police Force budgets need to be enhanced considerably. recruitment needs to be on merit not based on nepotism - the training regime needs to be completely revamped, the command and control structures need revamping (officer posting is completely politicised rendering the officers subserviant to their political masters), infrastructure development (police stations, police barracks, police housing) is a must to improve discipline and motivation. Salary structure needs to be completely over-hauled so that the men are able to feed and clothe their families (main reason for corruption at lower levels).
There is no accountability - policeman dont even report to their HQ (thanas) on a daily basis - no one knows their whereabouts?
I think we all get the drift in terms of the herculean job that is required to make the police a viable and effective force which can perform its basic duties which is protection of the citizens of this country and not just the "elite".
This will take a long-time!
So dont look for an early exit of the army form such duties!
The Police Force budgets need to be enhanced considerably. recruitment needs to be on merit not based on nepotism - the training regime needs to be completely revamped, the command and control structures need revamping (officer posting is completely politicised rendering the officers subserviant to their political masters), infrastructure development (police stations, police barracks, police housing) is a must to improve discipline and motivation. Salary structure needs to be completely over-hauled so that the men are able to feed and clothe their families (main reason for corruption at lower levels).
There is no accountability - policeman dont even report to their HQ (thanas) on a daily basis - no one knows their whereabouts?
I think we all get the drift in terms of the herculean job that is required to make the police a viable and effective force which can perform its basic duties which is protection of the citizens of this country and not just the "elite".
This will take a long-time!
So dont look for an early exit of the army form such duties!
muse
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The Fauj has been successful against the Islamist terrorists, the police and the politicians are a problem.
1,000 Khassadars quit jobs after Mangals threat
Friday, September 11, 2009
Nasrullah Afridi & Daud Khattak
BARA/PESHAWAR: Nearly 1,000 Khassadar personnel stopped performing duty after a threatening speech by the outlawed Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) chief Mangal Bagh asking the tribal police to quit the job or face consequences.
The political administration officials, on the other hand, said they would recruit 1,100 more personnel to ensure policing in the lawless zone of Khyber Agency being under the virtual control of the LI militants over the past two years.
Speaking on his illegal FM radio channel on Thursday night, the 10th day of the operation in Bara, Mangal Bagh said anyone of the Khassadars who continued performing duty would be fined to the tune of one million rupees. Besides, his house would also be demolished by the LI men, he warned.
Houses of Khassadars reporting for duty will be demolished and they will be fined one million rupees, said Mangal Bagh. Many Khassadars had quit their jobs after a similar warning from the banned LI chief last year.
Locals said Khassadars from Sipah tribe, to which Bagh belongs, had already ceased performing duties. The house of a Khassadar line officer (in charge) Noor Muhammad, who also belongs to Sipah and is relative of Mangal Bagh, was raided by security personnel but he escaped.
Locals said rest of the Khassadars left their jobs following the Thursday night announcement by Mangal Bagh. Officials said around 1,000 Khassadars were performing duty in Bara. They are usually picked from the local youth.
Reacting to Mangal Baghs announcement and the quitting of Khassadars, the political administration officials said a fresh force would be recruited in the days ahead.Talking to The News, Political Agent Tariq Hayat Khan said all those who stopped performing duties stood dismissed and the administration would recruit 1,100 fresh personnel.
He said 80 to 90 personnel, who continued their duty disregarding threats from Mangal Bagh, would be promoted to the next ranks while their houses would be protected with the FC personnel.
Elsewhere, the FC personnel demolished two houses of Bakhtiarullah and Gul Shahid in Malak Dinkhel area. Both of them were accused of having links with the militant organisation. An exchange of fire was reported between the banned LI men and FC personnel in Dogra area of Sipah. The LI men fled the scene with no casualties. The security officials seized a vehicle from the fleeing militants, locals said. They said the FC personnel were deployed in Kohi Chowk area of Malak Dinkhel for the first time during the past 10 days.
Curfew was relaxed from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm thus increasing another hour of relaxation. Earlier, the curfew relaxation hours were from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.Meanwhile, sources said that smuggling of cattle, fertilizers and sugar continued through Bara to Afghanistan. Dozens of trucks crossed the area in the night to move into Afghanistan through Soor Ghar and Door Baba areas.
Sources said the trucks loaded with cattle, sugar and fertilizer passed through Peshtakhara and Sarband police stations to enter Bara Qadeem (old Bara). The vehicles pass through Qambarabad, Malak Dinkhel and Soor Ghar areas to reach Afghanistan.They said most the cattle were brought from Punjab and smuggled to Afghanistan triggering the rates of meat to Rs180 per kilogram in the local market.
1,000 Khassadars quit jobs after Mangals threat
Friday, September 11, 2009
Nasrullah Afridi & Daud Khattak
BARA/PESHAWAR: Nearly 1,000 Khassadar personnel stopped performing duty after a threatening speech by the outlawed Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) chief Mangal Bagh asking the tribal police to quit the job or face consequences.
The political administration officials, on the other hand, said they would recruit 1,100 more personnel to ensure policing in the lawless zone of Khyber Agency being under the virtual control of the LI militants over the past two years.
Speaking on his illegal FM radio channel on Thursday night, the 10th day of the operation in Bara, Mangal Bagh said anyone of the Khassadars who continued performing duty would be fined to the tune of one million rupees. Besides, his house would also be demolished by the LI men, he warned.
Houses of Khassadars reporting for duty will be demolished and they will be fined one million rupees, said Mangal Bagh. Many Khassadars had quit their jobs after a similar warning from the banned LI chief last year.
Locals said Khassadars from Sipah tribe, to which Bagh belongs, had already ceased performing duties. The house of a Khassadar line officer (in charge) Noor Muhammad, who also belongs to Sipah and is relative of Mangal Bagh, was raided by security personnel but he escaped.
Locals said rest of the Khassadars left their jobs following the Thursday night announcement by Mangal Bagh. Officials said around 1,000 Khassadars were performing duty in Bara. They are usually picked from the local youth.
Reacting to Mangal Baghs announcement and the quitting of Khassadars, the political administration officials said a fresh force would be recruited in the days ahead.Talking to The News, Political Agent Tariq Hayat Khan said all those who stopped performing duties stood dismissed and the administration would recruit 1,100 fresh personnel.
He said 80 to 90 personnel, who continued their duty disregarding threats from Mangal Bagh, would be promoted to the next ranks while their houses would be protected with the FC personnel.
Elsewhere, the FC personnel demolished two houses of Bakhtiarullah and Gul Shahid in Malak Dinkhel area. Both of them were accused of having links with the militant organisation. An exchange of fire was reported between the banned LI men and FC personnel in Dogra area of Sipah. The LI men fled the scene with no casualties. The security officials seized a vehicle from the fleeing militants, locals said. They said the FC personnel were deployed in Kohi Chowk area of Malak Dinkhel for the first time during the past 10 days.
Curfew was relaxed from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm thus increasing another hour of relaxation. Earlier, the curfew relaxation hours were from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.Meanwhile, sources said that smuggling of cattle, fertilizers and sugar continued through Bara to Afghanistan. Dozens of trucks crossed the area in the night to move into Afghanistan through Soor Ghar and Door Baba areas.
Sources said the trucks loaded with cattle, sugar and fertilizer passed through Peshtakhara and Sarband police stations to enter Bara Qadeem (old Bara). The vehicles pass through Qambarabad, Malak Dinkhel and Soor Ghar areas to reach Afghanistan.They said most the cattle were brought from Punjab and smuggled to Afghanistan triggering the rates of meat to Rs180 per kilogram in the local market.
AgNoStiC MuSliM
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Punjab police schools to receive army instructors
* Initiative in accordance with CMs instructions
* CMs taskforce on police training recommended army train police
By Rana Tanveer
LAHORE: All the police training centres in Punjab will get army instructors by October 10 to help prepare the police personnel to cope with terrorist and suicide attacks, Daily Times has learnt.
Police Training School (PTS) Chung Principal Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maj (r) Mubasharullah said his school had requested 100 army instructors to effectively train police personnel in counter-terrorism measures. He said 90 instructors had reached the Chung training centre already, adding he hoped the remaining 10 would reach the school within the next week. He said the instructors would be dispatched to all the other police training centres of the province, including PTS Rawalpindi, PTS Sargodha, PTS Farooqabad, PTS Multan, Training Centre Sihala and Elite Training Centre, following completion of modalities. Mubasharullah said 50 of the 100 requested instructors would be specially trained in the use of weaponry, while the remainder would be drill instructors. He said the larger training schools would receive 10 instructors each, while the smaller centres would be allotted five instructors each. The services of the army personnel were being hired on deputation, he added.
CMs move: The special training for police personnel is being undertaken in line with instructions issued by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who has accorded special attention to police training and has appointed a special taskforce to ensure it is conducted in an effective manner. The CM took this step after police failed to stop terrorists in several public incidents, including attacks on the Sri Lankan Cricket Team and the Naval War College. The CMs instructions recommended that senior officials upgrade police training to cope with terrorism and suicide attacks. In response, Punjab Police Inspector General Tariq Saleem Dogar directed the heads of all police training centres to improve their training standard, assuring them their demands for better equipment for the schools would be fulfilled.
Advance recommendation: Separately, the CMs taskforce on improvement of police training has been visiting all the provinces training schools and is compiling a report of their requirements. The taskforce would submit its requirements to the CM for final consideration after completion of its tour. However, Maj (r) Mubashar said the induction of the army instructors was part of the taskforces recommendations. He said these personnel had been inducted before the recommendations were finalised because the taskforce had unanimously agreed to induct army personnel to improve police training.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
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