Police take command of Dir Levies

The Dir Levies Force has undergone what officials describe as historic administrative and operational reforms, with absent personnel brought back into service, staff posted outside the district recalled and the force's command structure placed under the police. As part of the reforms, personnel have been assigned to police stations and given regular belt numbers for the first time. Deputy Commissioner and Commandant Dir Levies Force Manzoor Ahmad Afridi, who recently assumed charge, launched the reforms shortly after taking over. During an initial verification exercise, all Levies personnel were summoned for individual identification parades and their service cards checked. The exercise reportedly brought to light a number of personnel who had remained away from duty for years. Some were allegedly serving as gunmen for political figures, while others were reportedly performing domestic chores at the residences of government and private individuals. Personnel posted in Peshawar, Islamabad, Swat and other districts were recalled to Dir Upper. In the second phase, all Levies personnel were issued official belt numbers for the first time. Under the third phase, a formal duty structure was introduced and 200 Levies personnel were moved from the barracks and placed at the Dir Police Lines. One Subedar and 30 Levies personnel have been deployed at designated police stations, including Thal, Kumrat, Kalkot, Patrak, Sheringal, Dir City, Barawal, Gandigar, Sahibabad, Wari and Jagam. The Levies Force has a long history in the region. It was established in 1895 after the British Chitral campaign, amid concerns that Russia could attempt an advance through Gilgit, Chitral and Dir. Major General Sir George Robertson, commander of the Chitral expedition, established the force in consultation with Nawab of Dir Sharif Khan. Following the abolition of the State of Dir in 1969, the Dir Levies came under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, with deputy commissioners serving as commanders. After the merger of former FATA and PATA areas into K-P on May 25, 2019, the Levies Act 2019 merged the Dir, Chitral and Swat Levies into the K-P Police, granting them police uniforms, scales, training and uniform benefits. Despite the merger, the Dir Levies continued functioning under the deputy commissioner and occupied historic British-era barracks at Wari Fort and Dir. The latest reforms have now moved the force out of those barracks and placed its operational command under the police, marking a major change in its 131-year history. Under the new duty structure, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) will issue operational instructions to the Subedar responsible for Levies personnel posted at the police stations. However, the Levies Force will not be deployed in counterterrorism operations. The Dir Upper Levies Force has a sanctioned strength of around 1,522 personnel, including 192 provincial Levies and 1,330 federal Levies. Appeals filed by 375 personnel compulsorily retired under the service rules are currently pending before the court, while 1,147 personnel are presently performing their duties.