CHAGHCHARAN (PAN): Police chief of the volatile Ghor said that the security forces have the capability to counter insurgents’ attacks following extended cooperation by the locals.
Some areas of the province have been experiencing insecurity, he acknowledged, vowing that his forces are making all out efforts to ensure security in the nook and corner of Ghor.
Dilawer Shah Dilawer, police chief of the restive province said despite inadequate security forces deployed in the province, his forces had the capability to counter Taliban attacks with the cooperation of the locals.
Other provinces have considerable security personnel ranging 20,000 men with more equipment but the Ghor security forces were been able to maintain security with little force and equipment.
“We have our security plan and there will not be any security related problems during the elections as locals have their support with the security forces,” he remarked.
He said parts of Ghor were not perfectly secure but the security personnel had been successfully thwarting Taliban’s attacks in a professional way.
He went to say on that they had floated a proposal with the interior and defense the ministers to provide the provincial security forces with advanced equipments.
Not only the Taliban but also other armed groups are considered a threat for security, he added.
Sayyed Anwar Rahmati, Ghor governor said 3,500 Taliban and more than 6,500 armed individuals were active in the province which were causing lawlessness in the province.
He said rebels had increased their activities in Pasaband, Taiwara, Shahrak, Dulaina and Chahar Sada districts, adding the armed individuals were being supported from Baghran district of Helmand province who were staging attacks and threatening people.
The number of police force and the amount of available equipment were not sufficient to counter rising militants’ threat, he said, adding a battalion of 600 police personnel had been deployed in the province but their strength was needed to be increased.
He said presence of armed groups and Taliban were misusing the poverty-stricken and unemployed youth for their nefarious designs.
The Independent Human Rights Commission had also expressed its concerns about the rising civilian causalities and the body said that presence of armed groups was the main factor causing casualties among civilians.
Mohammad Jawad Razayee, head of provincial human rights commission said as many as 147 civilians had been killed and 128 others sustained injuries since September 2013 following roadside mines and armed clashes between Taliban and the government.
The figures showed 50 % increase as compared to last year which was a constant source of concern for the Human Rights Commission.
The armed commanders were the factor of 61%, Taliban 38% and the government forces were behind 1% killing cases of civilians.
Similarly, 91 individuals had been killed and 84 others sustained injuries in clashes among armed commanders.
Abdul Latif Ghafoori, a member of Ghor provincial council said most areas of his province were experiencing insecurity but Chaharsada, Taiwara and Murghab districts were highly insecure.
“I believe, if the situation goes unchanged then elections will not be held in Ghor. And if the polls are held in the given situation then it will be regarded as rigged and manipulated ballots,” he remarked.  
Ghor is a mountainous province and Taliban groups are active in most parts of the districts. The central government should enhance the strength of security forces to bolster security, Ghafoori added.
He said awarding punishment and lashing of locals by Taliban was reflecting weak writ of the government in Ghor.
For example, Mohammad Afzal, a local militants’ commander was accused of lashing three youths in Dulaina district whose action of brutality was denounced by the local authorities and Human Rights Commission.
Two videos had been received by the Pajhwok Afghan News in which a person wearing lashing a young person and after completing 20 lashes, another person started lashing and finally they completed 39 lashes.
Mohammad Haider Sarwari, a resident of Sokhta area of Dulaina district said the lashing took place in the spring of the current year.
The governor said such barbaric acts too place in areas where security forces did not have their presence or weak.
Rahmati said, “These people have joint peace process and should have integrated to the civilians but unfortunately they either claim of joining peace process or continue their illegal activities.”
It merits mention that in February 2012, one male and one female were lashed on the accusation of having illicit relation with Mullah Mustafa, member of Ulema Council and Mullah Abdur Rahman, the so-called district governor of Taliban were reported to be involved in the case.
Locals demanded of the government to help increase the strength of security forces to control the spiraling violence and Taliban tactics in the province.