PESHAWAR: While the Pakistan Army is fencing the country’s western border with Afghanistan to stop cross-border infiltrations by militants, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has completed the set-up of 31 bomb-proof check posts around Peshawar.
The work to build this security belt started in March and the aim was to fortify and protect Peshawar from militant attacks launched from the tribal districts.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) for the provincial capital, Javed Iqbal, told Arab News the borders of Peshawar are in a crescent shape “and all these check posts have been set up along the borders to secure Peshawar.”
Iqbal added that the law and order situation in Peshawar and other areas of KP have changed remarkably in the last five years. “It has improved by almost 80 percent,” he said.
Each of the 31 new check posts contains a bomb-proof barracks, a basement and lockups.
“We have also started the process to hire 967 policemen who would man these new check posts. Currently, we have deployed the available force there. But, once we get more personnel in, we would deploy them there,” Iqbal added.
Iqbal linked the law and order situation in Peshawar and KP to Afghanistan. “The fencing work at the Afghan border has curbed militants’ infiltration into Pakistan, and the new check posts in Peshawar would further improve the overall law and order situation in KP, particularly in Peshawar,” he said.
Police officials also said that work is underway to build eight security watchtowers at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar.
“Work is now underway to construct watchtowers on the runway — two at the take-off area and six towers in the landing area,” said police spokesman Muhammad Ilyas.
In June 2014, a woman passenger was killed and two crew members wounded when suspected militants fired at a Pakistan International Airlines plane from the ground at Bacha Khan International Airport.
Over the last decade, Peshawar has frequently faced attacks from Afghanistan and the tribal districts.
Muhammad Tahir, a former Peshawar capital city police officer, told Arab News that the proposal for establishing 31 check posts was put forward in 2016.
“The idea was to save Peshawar against any attacks from Frontier Regions before the merger, like Kohat, the outskirts of Peshawar, Khyber and Mohmand tribal districts.” said Tahir.
31 new check posts form security belt around Peshawar
31 new check posts form security belt around Peshawar
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police say bomb-proof posts will further improve law and order situation in city
- Work also underway to build eight watchtowers at Bacha Khan International Airport
Pakistan PM directs ministries to fast-track foreign investment recommendations
- Pakistan’s foreign direct investment fell by over 25 percent during July-November period, official data states
- Premier directs ministries to provide support via embassies worldwide to facilitate foreign investors
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed all ministries to prepare recommendations for domestic, foreign investment and development projects related to their sectors, state media reported as Islamabad eyes sustainable economic growth.
The premier’s directives came while he chaired a meeting of the federal ministries on the implementation of economic governance reforms, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
Foreign direct investment inflows in Pakistan fell by more than 25 percent to $927 million during the July-November period, as per data from the central bank. Pakistan’s FDI inflows have never surged beyond $3 billion in nearly 20 years, worrying Islamabad as it seeks to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed all ministries to promptly prepare recommendations for domestic and foreign investment and development projects related to their respective sectors,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Sharif said it was his government’s top priority to provide institutional and administrative facilitation to investors.
The prime minister instructed federal ministries to provide “special importance” to proposals that promote exports.
“The prime minister directed the concerned ministries to provide effective support through Pakistani embassies worldwide to facilitate foreign investors,” the state media said.
Sharif stressed that equal attention be provided to industrial production, agriculture, and other key sectors to increase investment.
Pakistan’s government has said it is eyeing sustainable economic growth, driven by exports and foreign investment.
The South Asian country has recently signed agreements worth billions of dollars with regional allies such as Gulf nations, China and Central Asian nations to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, livestock, mines and minerals, and other sectors.
