PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has taken a significant step towards improving public safety and security in the province by inaugurating its first Public Outreach Strategy and Media Cell. The media cell, located at the Central Police Office (CPO) in Peshawar, was officially launched on Monday with funding provided by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme.
This initiative aims to enhance police-public relations and partnerships, ultimately fostering greater transparency and trust in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. The Communications and Public Outreach Strategy, developed in collaboration with the UNDP Rule of Law Programme and supported by the EU, focuses on leveraging Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), community engagement, crisis communication, and analytics to monitor and improve the Directorate of Public Relations’ performance.
During the launch-cum-inauguration ceremony, the Communications and Public Outreach Strategy was signed off by designated officials of KP Police and UNDP Pakistan in the presence of the Chief Guest, Akhtar Hayat Khan, Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, and Chamila Hemmathagama, Programme Manager, Rule of Law Programme, UNDP Pakistan.
Inspector General Akhtar Hayat Khan expressed his gratitude to the EU and UNDP Pakistan for their support. He emphasized that the newly established Media Cell and Outreach Strategy would enable the Directorate of Public Relations to showcase the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police’s initiatives aimed at enhancing community safety and addressing public concerns in real-time.
Chamila Hemmathagama, Programme Manager, Rule of Law Programme, UNDP Pakistan, highlighted the importance of integrating ICTs into law enforcement to ensure equal access to justice and uphold the rule of law. She stated that this initiative would empower the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Directorate of Public Relations to drive transformative changes in policing services, particularly for marginalized communities.
This milestone reflects a commitment to creating safer communities and strengthening the bonds between law enforcement and the public in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The launch of the Media Cell and Outreach Strategy is expected to pave the way for a more responsive and accessible police force that can better serve and protect the people of the province, including women, transgender individuals, and other marginalized communities.
