| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| FC pulls out of Quetta, Gwadar |
| 2008-05-05 |
| The Frontier Corps (FC) has been withdrawn from its checkposts in the Quetta and Gwadar districts of Balochistan, with police taking control of the pickets of the two districts. According to a staff report, the paramilitary force has decided to extract its personnel from the checkposts on the directives of the federal government in order to reduce tensions in Balochistan. It said that the decision had been taken by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) reconciliatory committee formed by PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to pave the way for a successful All Parties Conference on the issues being faced by the province. Decision-making: A government source told Daily Times that the checkposts would remain intact, adding, “Once the FC withdraws, the district police, controlled by the district government, would decide whether the presence of the checkposts is essential, or whether they should be completely weeded out.” He said that if there was a need for the continued presence of the checkposts due to the prevailing law and order, then the “onus of ensuring security would be given to the police”. Meanwhile, quoting FC sources, Dawn News reported on Sunday that FC personnel had been withdrawn from 28 checkposts in Quetta and 12 in Gwadar. It said that two wings, comprising 1,200 personnel, had been recalled from the two districts. The channel reported that the Gwadar chief security officer, who was from the FC, had been replaced by the deputy inspector general of police as security in charge of the district. |
| Posted by:Fred |