PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur has said more than 2,000 personnel – from sepoy to additional inspector general – have sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism for protecting the nation’s future.

“We are indebted to them [the martyrs]. The enemy was not expecting the way these officers and jawans fought and we congratulate all those who grew up these courageous sons and daughters,” Mr Gandapur said, while addressing a function held in the provincial capital on Friday to mark the Police Martyrs’ Day.

He stated that despite lack of resources, including latest weaponry and training, the police force fought against the militants with professional zeal. “The KP police force has become one of the model forces due to these supreme sacrifices,” Mr Gandapur noted.

The KP police chief said the government had recently approved a welfare package, providing free education and health to the children and widows of the martyred policemen. He, however, said salaries of the KP police were less than the police force of other provinces, and requested the government to fulfill its promise and increase ration allowance of the force.

Urges govt to bring salaries of personnel on par with other provinces; functions, rallies held across the province to mark Police Martyrs’ Day

He also requested the government to form a board comprising police officers to provide ease to the injured personnel while getting their medical bills approved without any hindrance.

Peshawar Corps Commander Lt-Gen Hassan Azhar Hayat Khan, chief minister’s adviser on finance Himayatullah Khan, retired and serving civil and military officials and relatives of the martyred policemen were present on the occasion.

In Swat, regional police officer, Malakand division, Nasir Mehmood Satti said the sacrifices of over 350 police officers from the region would always be remembered. He stated this while addressing a function to mark the Police Martyrs’ Day held at the Police Training Centre, Swat.

District police officer Shafiullah Gandapur, deputy commissioner Irfanullah Wazir, district bar president Saeed Khan, traders’ federation president Abdul Rahim Khan, journalists, police officers, youth and families of police martyrs participated.

Mr Satti emphasised the prevailing atmosphere of tranquility throughout the region was an outcome of the profound sacrifices rendered by the dedicated police officers and army soldiers.

He said a hospital would be established in Malakand region to provide free medical facilities to the families of the police martyrs.

In Lakki Marwat, General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Naeem Akhtar along with Bannu regional police officer Qasim Ali Khan inaugurated a newly-built building of a police station in Dattakhel town of North Waziristan tribal district on Friday.

Deputy commissioner Rehan Gul Khattak, DPO Salim Riaz and tribal chiefs were also present.

The police and military authorities also inspected different portions of the modern building.

Speaking on the occasion, Gen Akhtar said the police station was the basic and an important unit in the structure of the police department. He said the new police station would prove helpful in maintaining law and order and providing protection to people’s lives and properties.

Police and military officials acknowledged the sacrifices rendered by local policemen in the line of duty and paid rich tributes to the fallen cops.

Different events were also held in Lakki Marwat and Bannu on Friday to mark the Police Martyrs’ Day.

Lakki Marwat district police officer Mohammad Ashfaq Khan led a peace rally from the police lines to the District Headquarters Complex, Tajazai. The participants carried banners inscribed with slogans highlighting ‘supreme’ sacrifices of policemen.

In Bannu, divisional commissioner Parwiez Sabatkhel, while addressing a function on the martyrs’ day, said over 250 policemen had embraced martyrdom in the region during the last two decades.

Regional police officer Qasim Ali Khan and Brig Mohammad Tayyab of Pak Army also spoke on the occasion.

RPO Qasim Ali said welfare of the families of the martyrs was his top priority.

In Mardan, regional police officer Mohammad Sulaiman, while addressing a function, said the sacrifices of KP police in the war against terrorism would be written in golden words in the history.

Mr Sulaiman said 373 policemen from Mardan division had laid down their lives in the line of duty for establishment of peace and tranquility in the region.

On the occasion, a constable, Taimur presented a national song and received applause from the audience.

In Battagram, a function was held at the district headquarters to mark the Police Martyrs Day. The participants paid tribute to the cops, who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Deputy commissioner Tanveerur Rehman, district police officer Sonia Shamroz Khan, traders’ union president Abdul Ghaffar Deshani, police officials and relatives of the martyred policemen were also present.

In Abbottabad, commissioner Hazara division Amir Sultan Tareen and DIG Tahir Ayub Khan visited the Police Martyrs’ Memorial and laid floral wreaths. They also offered Fateha for the departed souls.

In Kohat, General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 9th Division Maj-Gen Ehsan Khattak, while speaking at a function held at the police lines to mark the Police Martyrs Day, said the nation owed present peace to the sacrifices made by the police in the decade-long war against militants.

Commissioner, Kohat division, Mohammad Ali Shah, DIG Sher Akbar Khan, Kohat deputy commissioner Dr Azmatullah Wazir and district police officer Farhan Khan were also present.

In Shangla, an event was organised at the Police Lines, Alpuri, to mark the Police Martyrs Day. The participants paid homage to the fallen policemen.

Published in Dawn, Aug 5th, 2023