PESHAWAR, Oct 7: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to divide the internal city and cantonment area of Peshawar into four zones and deploy more police personnel to ensure protection of polio teams.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the Special Taskforce of the provincial Home and Tribal Affairs Department here on Monday wherein all stakeholders participated.

Peshawar Commissioner Sahibzada Mohammad Anees gave participants a detailed briefing on law and order situation in the capital city.

An official privy to the meeting said majority of the participants stressed the need for further improvement of the intelligence service and support by the communities with the relevant police.

Home Secretary Akhtar Ali Shah highlighted the urgency and importance of anti-polio campaign and provision of security to the mobile police teams.

After an exhaustive discussion over the prevailing volatile law and order situation, especially in Peshawar, it was decided that police should come forward on the frontline and play its pivotal leading policing role in combating terrorism, which has also affected the ongoing polio campaign, especially on the outskirts of Peshawar.

The participants decided that the relevant departments and institutions should play their basic role with a missionary concentration on both the scores i.e. to adopt all possible measures to make a success to the polio campaign, which was the prime aim of the government in the targeted areas in accordance with the scheduled programme and simultaneous provision of foolproof security to the visiting mobile police teams at all costs.According to them, police will be augmented by other law-enforcement agencies on need basis to be ascertained and assessed by police and that a joint and well-coordinated plan will be made by police for launching a campaign against crimes and to deal with the outlaws not only by rounding them up but also by getting them punished by the judiciary.

The participants stressed the need for investigating cases along modern scientific lines for achieving the desired results and expressed concern about the rising kidnappings for ransom and other criminal activities, which should be curbed forthwith.They said the crackdown should be initiated against the people having fake computerised national identity cards and non-customs paid and unregistered vehicles and motorcycles.

The meeting decided introduction of toll-free contact number and complaint number enabling the community of the area to share necessary and important information with the relevant SHO or officials for better policing.

The participants called for special concentration on Peshawar security and in-time advance sharing of information by all stakeholders.

Preventative and preemptive measures for peace during forthcoming month of Muharram also came under discussion.

2,200 POLICEMEN FOR VACCINATORS: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have tasked over 2,200 personnel with escorting the 1,100 members of anti-polio teams in the provincial capital during the ongoing vaccination campaign.

This was stated by Inspector General of Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nasir Khan Durrani while talking to reporters after the funeral prayers of two policemen at the Malik Saad Khan Police Lines on Monday.

ASI Sajid Hussain and Special Police Officer Niaz Gul were killed in a bomb blast at Sulemankhel area of Badbher in the suburbs of Peshawar.

IGP said currently, 1,100 polio teams were performing duty in Peshawar with two policemen deployed with each team.

He said despite numerous challenges and impending threats, policemen were putting their lives in danger to protect public life and property.

Mr Durrani appealed to the people to inform police about suspicious items or activities in their respective areas and said police would act within minutes of receiving information.

Earlier, the funeral prayers of ASI Sajid Hussain and Special Police Officer Niaz Gul were offered. A smart contingent of police presented guard of honour to the coffins of policemen.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah Khan, Senior Minister in the province Sikandar Sherpao, members of provincial assembly, Peshawar commissioner and IGP laid floral wreaths on the coffins.

People from different walks of life, including policemen, attended the funeral prayers.