RAWALPINDI: Riot police units, which are specialised units equipped with modern techniques of riot control, are being formed in the four districts of the Rawalpindi division to effectively control riots, demonstrations and protests.

The need to form the units was felt after it was observed that district police chiefs were unable to respond to particular situations efficiently because of a lack of qualified of ficers to do so.

Therefore, the additional inspector general of police, Rawalpindi region, decided to establish well-trained Riot Police Units in all the four districts that will be on a standby to respond to particular situations and help the regular police force as well.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja has sent letters to the district police chiefs of Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal to prepare lists of suitable candidates from the existing police force for the riot units within three days.

The selected of ficers will first receive two weeks` training at the Police College Sihala.

`Well-trained riot police units will be deployed to confront crowds, protests and riots.

The units will be equipped with proper anti-riot gear and will be stationed at police lines at all times to deal with law and order situations,` RPO Raja said.

He directed concerned officials to make sure that the selected officers were in good shape and do not have any longterm illnesses. The upper age limit of a candidate for an upper subordinate in the new units is set at 45 years and for a constable not more than 40 years.

From Rawalpindi, 95 police personnel, including five subinspectors and assistant sibinspectors, 10 head constables and 80 constables will be selected to join the new unit.

While from Jhelum, two upper subordinates, three head constables and 45 constables will be selected for the riot unites.

Also, four upper subordinates, six head constables and 50 constables will be selected from Attock police and two upper subordinates, three head constables and 45 constables will be selected for the riot police unit from Chakwal.

The Riot Police Units will be tasked with controlling riots, dispersing crowds, maintaining order and protecting lives and property.

On many occasions, the police have had a hard time taming violent protests in Rawalpindi. In November last year, violence grew in Jhelum over the `desecration of the holy Quran` and the army and Rangers had to be called in to control the situation. Army officers had to be deployed to control the protesters who also set fire to a factory.

Police officials were also beaten by supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek when the chairman of the party, Dr Tahirul Qadri, landed at Benzir International Airport in 2014.