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BORDER POLICE OF PAKISTAN

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDATION

TRADITION OF FAITHFUL

SERVICE (From a Reuter Correspondent.) KARACHI. The North-West Frontier Constabulary, one of the world’s most famous police forces, is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year with the proud boast that it has never had

a deserter. The traditions of the force are such that its members, though they are recruited from the tough, wandering tribes of the mountainous districts of North-West Pakistan, remain faithful, even though they are often called upon to fight their own people. • The frontier province is divided into two parts—the area which is settled and is directly administered by the Provincial Government, and the tribal territory which is still mainly inaccessible. The job of the constabulary—the “Borderwalas” as they are called —is to patrol the border between these two areas and protect the settled districts from raids by marauding tribesmen.

Their task is different from that of the ordinary police of the province as they have nothing to do with the prevention or detection of crime nor with the preservation of law and order within the settled districts. Yet it remains a civil force under police control even though its functions, training and equipment seem mnr* military than civil tsorn Guerrilla Fighters The tribesmen who are recruited into the force —none is taken from the urban districts of the provinceare born guerrilla fighters, and with six months’ training in the use of modern weapons and equipment make ideal and formidable soldier-policemen. When a recruit is trained and takes his place at one of the outposts, he is able to help outwit the raiders merely because he knows their methods, and had he not joined the constabulary, he might well have been on the other side. The need for a border police force was realised in the eighties of the last century, mainly with the idea of protecting Government servants and to punish raiders who swarmed down from the hills to attack valley settlements. m The British administrators of the area of North-West India believed that a peaceful border was a real necessity if they wished to consolidate the government they were building up in the districts round Peshawar. In 1879, the Border Military Police and the Samana Rifles were raised independently, each to patrol part of the frontier, and, in 1913, these two forces were amalgamated to form the Frontier Constabulary. The force was increased during both world wars and did fine work in helping to maintain order and internal security during the troubles which followed both wars. In 1942, during the widespread rebellion in undivided India, part of the constabulary was sent to Bihar, a stronghold of the rebels, and remained there for two years. The constabulary also played a big part in maintaining order during the troubles which followed the partition of India as well as in patrolling the Indian border when the dispute over led to fighting in 1950. The force has always depended for its- strength and success on mobility. Sections are scattered in outposts along the whole length of the border between the two sections of the NorthWest Frontier Province and ; thus One group must be ready to move off at a moment’s notice to reinforce another if serious trouble should break out and be concentrated on one place. Mounted patrols, which support the infantry, are constantly on the alert, for many of the raiders are on horseback and attempt hit and run raids which can only be countered with cavalry. Spartan Life The life of the policeman is hard. His food is spartan. His drinking water often has to be brought from rain ponds several miles away from his outpost, and he must help build picquets, ; posts and forts as well as the roads ; which connect them. Each day, these : men patrol for miles, stopping only ■ for prayers or to eat their hard rations. Endowed by nature with • magnificent physique and powers of , endurance, they have developed their ; powers of sight and hearing to such ■ an extent that anything unusual, even ■ if it is some way away, is immediately noticed. They are superb rifle shots - and from their childhood have learned the arts of concealment and following r a trail.

Panthers, leopards, bears, wolves and hyenas join the hostile tribesmen in adding to the dangers of their job as they cross snow-covered mountain slopes, cut their way through thick foliage, or patrol comfortably, but ex-

posed, in the fertile valleys of the frontier. Seldom do they venture into the tribal areas and then only when they are following a band of Dacoits or cattle thieves.

Though his life in duty hours is arduous, the welfare of the constable is well looked after. Radios, books and indoor games have been provided for many outposts but most of them still prefer their traditional relaxations — shooting, tent-pegging, and mock running gun-fights. When he finally retires, the constable still has a big. perhaps his most important, part to play in the life of the province. The feeling of camaraderie is very strong in the fbree and this he passes on to his tribe when he returns home. Many ancient feuds between tribes are reported to have ended because of the mediations of men who have served in the constabulary together. In addition, their discipline, education and hygienic living is beginning to be copied by the backward tribesmen.

The constabulary have earned their place in the history and literature of the sub-continent by many deeds which have become legendary. One of the greatest tributes to them was that paid by the British writer, Rudyard Kipling, who said: “All along the North-West Frontier there is spread a force. They move up and down, and down and up from one desolate little post to another. They are ready to take the field at 10 minutes’ notice. They are always half in half out of a difficulty . . . their lives are as hard as their own muscles, and the papers never say anything about them.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19530622.2.104

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27072, 22 June 1953, Page 10

Word Count
997

BORDER POLICE OF PAKISTAN Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27072, 22 June 1953, Page 10

BORDER POLICE OF PAKISTAN Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27072, 22 June 1953, Page 10