Educational institutes with poor security arrangements to be sealed: SSP Operations

SSP Operations, Abbas Majeed Khan Marwat said on Thursday all educational institutes with poor security arrangements would be sealed besides the owners facing strict action.

“I have recently held detailed meetings with 350 principals and headmasters of educational institutions of Peshawar and made it clear that no compromise would be made on security of schools, colleges and universities,” he told APP in exclusive interview.

The SSP said that standard operating procedure (SOP) that was chalked out in consultations with all stakeholders to ensure security of educational institutes with coordinated efforts and the principals assured full support to police in its implementation.

“I have visited Islamia College, Edwards College, Benazir Bhutto Women University and Khyber Medical University Peshawar etc and inspected security arrangements besides discussed security arrangements with heads of the institutes,” he said.

“We are ready to cope with the challenge foolproof security to the educational institutions despite limited capacity and meager resources,” Abbas told APP.

The total strength of KP police is about 68,000 while the number of educational institutes in KP province is about 64,000, adding that in addition to normal duties including investigation, intelligence, protection to VVIPs, security of Govt installations, the police force is assisting in guarding educational institutions.

The SSP said that private schools were earning hundreds of thousands of rupees per month and it was their prime responsibility to spend some amount on security of their institutes. “Together we can counter any challenge,” he remarked.

Official sources in Police Department told APP that since 7 Dec 2014 to 31 Dec 2015, the KP Police have made 2,36,727 security inspections of educational institutions and issued advisory notes to 1,27,723, warned 16,131 and registered FIRs against 2,535 owners for poor security arrangements.

In addition to 24 hours patrolling by 147 mobile teams and motorbike escorts in the provincial capital, the SSP said that 16-strikes units of KP police comprising Anti Terrorism Squad and Elite Force have been equipped with sophisticated weapons and vehicles and deployed at different key places to quickly respond to any emergency.

To a question, the SSP said that lists of rent-a-cars would be compiled on the pattern of hotels and houses’ dealing with the business of rent so that the facility should not be misused.

To a question about putting boxes at counters of various shops in the name of charity without knowing its sources, the SSP made it crystal clear that no one would be allowed to collect charity for banned outfits. He urged people to take extra care while giving charity and give only to those who have good track record of public service.