PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Inspector General of Police has requested the deployment of nine platoons of the Federal Constabulary (FC) to protect vital installations in Bannu and Lakki Marwat amid a tense law and order situation and an ongoing protest by members of the Police Amman Committee.
The request was sent to the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs Department on Saturday. According to the letter, the nine FC platoons would be deployed at eight vital installations, including five in Bannu and three in Lakki Marwat.
Two platoons have been requested for Lakki Marwat District Jail, while one each would be deployed at the District Judicial Complex and District Administration offices.
In Bannu, one platoon has been requested for each of the District Jail, District Judicial Complex, Deputy Commissioner’s Office, High Court Bannu Bench, and KTN and Grid Station.
The request followed a proposal from Bannu District Police seeking at least 10 FC platoons comprising around 450 personnel for sensitive security duties.
Bannu District Police Officer Captain (retd.) Muhammad Furqan Bilal wrote to the Bannu Regional Police Officer on August 28, citing the prevailing security situation and the ongoing protest by Police Amman Committee personnel.
According to the letter, the protest had created difficulties in the movement of district administration, judicial and other government officials. Police also cited threats to officials, obstruction of official movement, road blockades and aerial firing, along with the withdrawal of police personnel from sensitive installations.
Authorities warned that further agitation could require immediate intervention.
The transferred personnel have been posted to districts including Shangla, Lower Kohistan, Buner, Bar Swat, Haripur, Torghar and Nowshera. Police officials have been directed to report to their new postings immediately.
Other personnel from various districts and police units have also been posted to Peshawar, the Counter Terrorism Department, Security Division, Elite Force and CPEC Special Security Unit, among others.
Police sources said the transfers were aimed at meeting manpower requirements across different districts and units. They added that all nine personnel transferred from Bannu were associated with the Police Amman Committee.
The developments come days after police personnel in Bannu began protesting over the transfer of seven officials. Police Peace Committees in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Tank subsequently called on affected personnel to report to police lines and boycott duties.
The protest reportedly reduced security deployment and disrupted traffic management in some areas.
Meanwhile, the proposed transfer of K-P IGP Zulfikar Hameed was also put on hold amid concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the province’s southern districts.
