Newly recruited corporals of the Counter Terrorism Department have been sent appointment letters and are set to begin training next week, The Express Tribune has learnt.
An official close to the developments said that the CTD’s 11-member nucleus staff was yet to be appointed as the summary sent to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, regarding the issuance of offer letters to the selected candidates, has not been approved.
Last year, the Punjab government had announced the establishment of the Counter Terrorism Department – a vibrant force with adequate capacity for intelligence gathering; carrying out targeted operations; and conduct investigations and analyses. The government advertised 11 vacancies for the nucleus staff and 1,500 vacancies for corporals last year.
After giving physical tests, written exams and interviews 1,800 candidates were shortlisted. Background checks on were conducted to ensure that no rogue elements were recruited.
The office of the CTD additional inspector general sent appointment letters to 1,600 candidates this week. These candidates will undergo training at the Elite Police Training School, Bedian, for nine months starting May 2.
The official said that the corporals will be trained in three batches. A new batch will join training two months after the previous batch joins. He said the government was expecting 100 corporals to either drop out during training or refuse the position. He said 1,500 corporals will be inducted into the force. The force will commence operations in the first quarter of 2015. He said the force will have three wings: targeted operations, investigations and intelligence. He said the force would have a police station in every district. A decision as to who would head the police stations is yet to be taken, he said. It is possible that the government may post newly-recruited police inspectors as heads of these stations, he said. The nucleus staff will comprise a training school principal (brigadier), an operations director (colonel), intelligence additional director (lt-col), special operations additional director (lt-col), technical deputy director (lt-col), operations deputy director (major), and four regional directors (lt-colonels).
After the second round of interviews of 47 shortlisted candidates in February last year, the committee headed by the chief secretary recommended 22 candidates for the position. The Home Department has sent the chief minister a summary seeking approval to appoint 11 candidates. The approval has not been received yet.
The official said that the Punjab government had released Rs190 million for training and purchase of weapons for the new force.
Several Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) officers have been protesting against the induction of retired armed forces officers in the CTD’s nucleus staff. An official in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat requesting anonymity said a lobby is working on convincing the chief minister to reject the summary and appoint PSP officers to the 11 posts…this is one of the reasons for the delay,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2014.