PESHAWAR: Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, chaired an important meeting focused on reforms and the strengthening of the Police Special Branch. During the meeting, he approved the establishment of the Special Branch as a regular, specialized unit with a separate cadre.
The Chief Minister directed that the Special Branch be prioritized for the allocation of necessary human resources and operational facilities. The meeting also granted principal approval to create 1,221 new positions within the Special Branch to enhance its operational capacity.
CM Sohail Afridi approved a budget of Rs 1,820 million for infrastructure development and Rs 904.7 million for the procurement of motor vehicles. As part of this approved plan, the Special Branch will receive 98 vehicles and 404 motorcycles on a priority basis.
Additionally, the government will provide an extra Rs 2,543.9 million for the purchase of technical equipment and modern technology. The Chief Minister emphasized that the Special Branch will be upgraded with modern resources to effectively address intelligence and counterterrorism requirements.
Sohail Afridi reiterated that the police force remains a crucial pillar in the fight against terrorism, and the government will ensure all necessary resources to strengthen the Special Branch. He also instructed that proposed allowances for Special Branch personnel be submitted for prompt approval.
The meeting approved the establishment of new buildings for the Special Branch across the province.
During the briefing, it was noted that Special Branch personnel are responsible for intelligence gathering, security duties, verifications, surveys, and surveillance. It was also revealed that 308 personnel from the merged tribal districts have been integrated into the Special Branch.
According to the operational report for 2025, the Special Branch successfully defused two suicide jackets, 32 IEDs, 70 rocket shells, and 288 hand grenades. Last year, the Special Branch also managed security for 635 political gatherings and conducted extensive verification work, which included 3,124 NADRA verifications, 6,840 passport verifications, 14,518 CPEC-related verifications, 6,060 personal verifications, and 9,413 verifications of government officials.
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