ALP forces under influence of illegal armed men in Balkh

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Afghan Local Police (ALP) personnel in northern Balkh province have been under the influence of irresponsible armed militia leaders, said security officials on Wednesday.

Over the past few years, ALP forces have been maintaining security in Sholgar, Chamtal, and Charbolak districts after being created under the framework of the Afghan National Police (ANP).

Despite local residents repeated complaints about what they call improper and illegal activities of ALP, security officials remain tight-lipped on the issue.

Balkh police chief Maj. Gen. Sayed Kamal Sadaat confirmed to Pajhwok Afghan News that ALP ranks had issues. He said ALP personnel in districts were under influence of illegal armed individuals.

On the other hand, the Independent Human Rights Commission’s chapter in-charge for the northern zone, Sayed Mohammad Samey, said police should professionally behave with the communities they served.

He said if ordinary people couldn’t share their issues with police on ethnic, lingual and racial ground, then it was a ‘crisis’. Police should conduct as servants of people, he added.

Meanwhile, civil society activists stressed people’s oversight on police actions. Hayatullah, a civil society activist, said a mechanism should be developed under which people were facilitated to monitor police acts.

He said if police remained under people’s supervision, it would leave a positive impact on their performance.

Police chief Sadaat also emphasized on attention to training and education of ALP forces. They were making efforts to make ALP personnel independently continue their affairs as servants to the society.

sns/ma

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