PESHAWAR: Pakistan today opened its first explosives' handling centre to train Bomb Disposal Unit officials in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as part of its counter-terrorism effort in the province most affected by terrorism.
The country's first-ever explosive handling centre for capacity building of Bomb Disposal Units (BDU) has been set up in Nowshera district in the province.
The KP police has established the school from its own resources to train BDU officials raised all over the province with bases in district headquarters.
Chief Minister Pervez Khattak inaugurated the school here today and appreciated the efforts of KP Police for the capacity building of police officials.
He said the provincial government is supporting police in all such endeavors to transform the force to serve the people in a professional manner.
Inspector General of Police, Khyber Pakhtunkha, Nasir Khan Durrani said the school is the first of its kind in Pakistan.
He said the school was a necessity as the provincial police bear the biggest brunt of terrorism in the form of casualties of its officers.
Durrani said the present strength of the BDU is about 500 and they have been equipped with the modern explosive detection and disposal equipment.
The IGP said AIG of the Unit, Shafqat Malik, would be the Director of the school.
The school will offer various orientation and specialized courses such as explosives detection course, blast scene investigation and explosive handling and detection orientation course for the first responders of police.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the most affected province Pakistan to be hit by terrorism.
On December 16, Taliban gunmen attacked an army-run school in the provincial capital Peshawar and killed 150 people, mostly children in the most horrific terror assault in the country's history. The attack was condemned globally.