KHYBER: District Police Officer Rae Mazhar Iqbal has made formal police uniform on the pattern of rest of the province compulsory for the entire force in Khyber tribal district.

In a verbal directive issued on Thursday, he ordered his force to start wearing proper police uniform from Friday onwards.

Sources at Shah Kas police centre said that the orders would be implemented with immediate effect with the centre taking the responsibility to provide new uniform to all police personnel in Khyber.

Reacting to the new directives, policemen inBara, Jamrud and Landi Kotal expressed different views with most of them agreeing to obey the orders, though reluctantly.

A group of the so-called police action committee though not directly rejected the orders, yet asked for other perks and facilities along with provision of modern weaponry and equipment to properly perform their professional responsibilities.

Requesting anonymity, they stated that their performance should not be linked with wearing formal uniform rather their basic rights should be given to them. `We have no modern weapons, no armoured personnel carriers, no proper buildings and no adequate funds for mobile vehicles patrolling,` they argued.

They contended that their salary structure was not changed despite being converted into regular police while there was no proper system of pensions and they were yet to be pro-vided with a proper service structure and a systematic procedure of their postings, transfers and promotions.

Meanwhile, chairman of Tribal Loya Jirga Haji Bismillah Khan in a statement said that introduction of police uniform was not a matter for tribesmen as they were opposed to the very creation of police force in tribal areas.

He said that TLJ was in favour of reversing the merger plan and reviving the time-tested Khasadar system.

Meanwhile, the DPO has abolished all police assistance line (PAL) in the district with immediate effect and directed police clearance and character certificate for acquisition of visa to approach police centre in Shah Kas, Jamrud.

BISP: The chairman of district development advisory committee and MPA from Bara, Abdul Ghani Afridi, on Thursday ordered establishment of three more centres ofBenazir Income Support Programme.

Sources said that registered women from entire Bara, including Tirah valley had to wait for long at Dogra centre prior to creation of additional centres.

They said that deserving women had long been complaining about lack of facilities including proper waiting rooms, drinking water and lavatory at Dogra centre. The issue was highlighted by members of Bara Press Club after they were approached by the affected families.

SEMINAR: Speakers at a seminar paid rich tributes to Pakhtun freedom fighter Mirza Ali Khan, known as Faqir Eppi, and demanded that his achievements should be included in school curriculum.

The seminar was organised under the auspices of Khyber Ulas Organisation at Landi Kotal Press Club to commemorate Faqir Eppi`s 65th death anniversary.

Speakers lamented thatthe struggle of the great freedom fighter and his social services in the field of education were largely forgotten as there was no mention of him in textbooks.

They said that Mirza Ali Khan despite being epitome of simplicity and piousness, remained an active campaigner of Pakhtun basic rights while also waging an armed struggle against the British imperialist government.