The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to deploy over 6,000 police officers and personnel in the first phase to staff newly formed security divisions responsible for safeguarding VIPs and key government buildings across the province.
During a provincial cabinet meeting chaired by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, senior officials from the Home and Tribal Affairs Department expressed concerns that the current allocation of police for VIP security was affecting public safety.
They pointed out that under the Police Rules of 1934, the deployment of officers should be based on population ratios and specific duties, but the existing arrangement was stretching resources too thin, impacting law and order.
To tackle this challenge, the Home and Police Departments proposed a phased deployment plan for 11,853 police personnel: 4,000 in 2024-25, another 4,000 in 2025-26, and the remaining 3,853 in 2026-27.
However, the KP finance department suggested filling 5,852 vacant police positions instead of creating new ones, citing budgetary constraints.
After extensive discussions, the cabinet approved the Home Department’s proposal while emphasizing that existing police officers would be reassigned within the newly established security divisions rather than hiring additional personnel for VIP protection.