KABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Months of deliberation and planning came to culminated Sept. 25 in Kabul province’s Pahgman district, as local leaders agreed to establish an Afghan Local Police program in their villages.
More than 100 guests attended the ALP validation shura, including the Deputy Provincial Police Chief Col. Amrullah Pahgmani, Pahgman District Gov. Abdul Qadeer, Afghan National Army 2nd Special Operations Kandak commander Lt. Col. Ahmadullah Popal, and the son of ex-jihadi leader Abdul Rasul Sayyaf.
“District leadership and district elders tried and have now come to the agreement that ALP are essential to Pahgman,” said Qadeer. “So today is a historical day that the elders have come together and have approved the inauguration of the ALP program.”
Officials agreed that security efforts throughout the district will benefit with ALP.
“The reason that we have a lot of problems in our country is because we are not united as one,” said Brig. Gen. Ali Shah Ahmadzai, Afghanistan’s senior ALP. “Those nations that have unity do not have problems, and they do not ask other countries for help.”
“We need to stop fighting amongst ourselves and become united as one,” added Ahmadzai. “If we want to have better security and stability for our people, then we need to have ALP in our villages.”
One Pahgam elder said the idea of self-security among tribes and villages is a concept that has been around in Afghanistan for more than 1,400 years.
This kind of program has long history,” said the elder. “All Islamic scholars know that there was a similar program over 1,400 years ago. In that time period they had similar programs that reflected the same goals, which is to serve the people and to protect their country.”
Qadeer added that ALP must be a part of the district in order to maintain safety for its people.
“We need ALP here for better security,” said Qadeer. “If we do not have security then we cannot continue to develop as a nation. So the most important thing for us is to have good security by enhancing our forces and adding ALP.”
The validation shura sends the message to insurgents that the district supports local and national security efforts, added Qadeer.
“Pahgman is a beautiful and historical district to a lot of Afghans,” said Ahmadzai. “So we should bring good security here so that our people feel safe to come here. ALP comes from this country. They come from our villages. They are our sons and they serve the people.”
“Everyone knows that our national security forces are doing dangerous operation and they bring security to different areas of Afghanistan,” continued Ahmadzai. “ALP established in Pahgman will bring that same security to our people and to this village.”