Army hands over checkposts in Lower & Upper Dir to police
TIMERGARA: Military authorities on Tuesday transferred their responsibilities to civil administration after 10 years in Lower and Upper Dir districts at a function held in this regard at the Dir Scouts Fort in Balambat.
Malakand General Officer Commanding (GOC) Maj Gen Ali Aamir Awan was the chief guest on the occasion.
Malakand Commissioner Syed Zaheer ul Islam, regional police officer Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, Dir Task Force Commandant Colonel Shehzad Amir, deputy commissioners of Lower and Upper Dir, DPOs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s Finance Minister Muzafar Said, MNAs Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, Sahibzada Tariqullah, area elders and other civil and military officers attended the function.
Speaking on the occasion, the GOC said that all check-posts in Lower and Upper Dir were being handed over to police and security forces would remain present in border areas. He, however, said the security forces would fully cooperate with the civil administration in maintaining peace and order.
Appreciating the role of local elders, media men and civil administration, the GOC said that complete peace in the region had been restored. He said 10 years ago the militants had challenged the writ of the government in Swat and Dir and troops were sent to the areas to control the deteriorating situation.
Maj Gen Awan said the militants had been bombing schools, hospitals and markets at that time. A total of 470 soldiers, including officers, embraced martyrdom during the military operation against the anti-state elements. He said the militants were rooted out and the government writ had been restored.
He said that 300 schools in Malak and division were rehabilitated, while 32 new schools were built. The police and Levies forces were imparted capacity building trainings and they were made capable to cope with any untoward situation. Malakand Commissioner Syed Zaheerul Islam and Dir Task Force Commandant Colonel Shehzad Amir also spoke at the function.
Earlier, the troops presented guard of honour to the guest, while an army band performed music on drum beats.
Security should be managed by good and efficient intelligence. Physically stopping every vehicle and checking is not done any where in the world except maybe in Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan war arenas. Only suspected vehicles should be stopped, rest should be allowed to carry on. Security personnel should be stopped from interviewing passengers unnecessarily. It is unnecessary and annoying. A criminal will not give his correct information any way. We must revert to civilised travelling now.
The check posts should be handed over to civilians. These were the points where the already weary passengers were subjected to severe torture and mental agony and never there was any militant or terrorist caught at these. There were special lanes for VIPs and military themselves while for poor passengers as those belonging to far off areas of Chitral there was only wait and CNIC verification, taking away medicines and perfumes and other belonging in the name of checking. On these check posts, unless there is specific intelligence, no one should be stopped. In Punjab there is no concept of such checking etc. & if you do this, the public ll lynch you within one day.
Thanks God. Hope there is some respite for the common people from undue and overdone nuisance in the name of security.