LAKKI MARWAT: Karak district police officer Shahbaz Elahi has said that the provincial government has provided all police stations with thermal weapons and advanced gadgets with night vision goggles for effective surveillance and countering the menace of terrorism.
Addressing a press conference at his office on Monday, he said that the policemen had been imparted capacity building training to handle and use drone technology and other modern equipment.
“Under public welfare initiative, a traffic school and a facilitation centre have been set up for the convenience of local residents,” he maintained, adding that police and public liaison committees have been reactivated at police station level to bridge the gap between police and general public.
Flanked by SP investigation Mohammad Ashfaq Khan and DSP Fazal Akbar Khattak, the DPO said that the role of dispute resolution council had been enhanced to settle disputes between parties and individuals with mutual consent.
Mr Elahi claimed that under his command, the police conducted 135 search and strike operations in the ongoing year, during which 560 proclaimed offenders, 140 drug traffickers, 24 burglars and seven vehicle snatchers were arrested.
The district police chief said keeping in view the recent terrorist attacks, the police stations’ infrastructure had been strengthened.
POLIO DRIVE BEGINS: Amidst tight security measures a five-day anti-polio drive began in Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Karak districts on Monday.
Lakki deputy commissioner Zeeshan Abdullah inaugurated the vaccination drive by administering a child with oral police vaccine at his office in Tajazai.
A health official said 1,021 teams had been constituted to immunise 205,532 children against the crippling disease in 40 union councils of the district.
He said along with officials of district administration, health department and partner organisation, a total of 46 union council polio eradication committees’ chairpersons and area in-charge officers had been deployed to monitor the work of 932 mobile, 52 fixed, 30 transit and 10 roaming teams.
DPO Mohammad Jawad Ishaq said a foolproof security plan was being implemented for peaceful conduct of the anti-polio drive. He said more than 1,350 police officials would guard vaccinators during the campaign.
In Bannu, 2,485 policemen have been tasked with guarding polio workers so they could accomplish the assignment of vaccinating children against polio smoothly, DPO Saleem Abbas Kulachi said.
He said he along with deputy commissioner Mohammad Fahim met with members of polio teams escorted by cops to boost their morale and motivate them to perform their duties with dedication.
DC Fahim asked polio workers to ensure vaccination of the targeted population.
The polio vaccination drive also kicked off in Karak district amid foolproof security arrangements with more than 1,000 cops deployed for the security of polio teams.
Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2025
