In a statement released on Tuesday, the US ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, expressed his sincere greetings and gratitude to the chief minister and inspector general of police of Balochistan for their hospitality and perceptive remarks during the opening of the new Police Training College (PTC) campus in Quetta.
The US Embassy’s International Narcotics (INC) and Law Enforcement Section led the four-year, $5.35 million partnership, which produced seven new buildings and the rehabilitation of four old ones. The Police Training College’s capacity has been tripled thanks to this revolutionary expansion, which also guarantees that both experienced officers and prospective recruits will receive the high-quality, skills-based training needed to perform well in Pakistan’s most challenging circumstances.
“With the completion of this new facility, the men and women trained at PTC Quetta will be far better prepared than their predecessors to address the tremendous risks and challenges they face every day in the line of duty,” stated Ambassador Blome, highlighting the facility’s crucial role in preparing law enforcement personnel.
“We have just gave $700,000 worth of trucks and $195,000 worth of blast suppression equipment, and we have scheduled the delivery of $900,000 worth of radio communication equipment and 35 mine detectors, all of which will considerably strengthen operations and security throughout the province.”
The cooperation between the US and Pakistan goes beyond the training facility and includes a number of programs targeted at terrorist prevention, drug trafficking prevention, and security bolstering. When combined, these initiatives—which range from INL supplying necessary equipment to encouraging gender-inclusive policing—make Pakistan safer, stronger, and more secure, according to Ambassador Blome.
In addition, he applauded the coordinated efforts to raise the proportion of women in the police force and recognized the excellent leadership of officers such as Zarghoona Manzoor. The transformational effect of gender-inclusive policies, which improve operational effectiveness and service quality for all communities, is best illustrated by Zarghoona’s path from homemaker to police leader.
Ambassador Blome also highlighted the creation of gender offices in police stations and the construction of facilities to better serve women and marginalized communities as specific efforts to attract more women to the police service. He highlighted in particular the outstanding accomplishments of Balochistan Police Officer Zarghoona Manzoor, who was honored at a recent international conference for women police with a worldwide leadership award.
Zarghoona, a mother who used to stay at home, enlisted in the police force following her husband’s death while he was a member of the Balochistan Police. She currently serves as the first female police officer in Balochistan. The operational effectiveness and efficiency of the entire force, as well as the level of service provided to all Pakistanis, particularly those from marginalized communities, are improved by female officers such as Zarghoona.
He expressed respect for Balochistan’s ability to draw in almost 20 percent of women during a recent recruitment campaign; since 2022, the number of policewomen in the force has doubled. The opening of the new facilities at PTC-Quetta for female police recruits is a major advancement toward the goal of gender-inclusive policing.
Ambassador Blome emphasized the wider range of the engagement between the US and Pakistan in addition to their security cooperation, saying, “We are committed to working with Pakistan to address the economic, environmental, and energy challenges of our time.” The solarization of seven PTC Quetta buildings and the solar-powered lights on the campus perimeter wall and internal walkways are made possible by INL funding, and they are in line with our larger initiatives to advance clean, renewable energy and climate resilience through the US-Pakistan Green Alliance Framework.
Ambassador Blome concluded by reiterating how crucial a strong legal and security framework is to promoting more collaboration between Pakistan and the United States.
He said, “We are proud of this partnership.” “It is enhancing Pakistan’s capacity to safeguard and secure its borders and offer safety and security for its population, and it is doing so with measurable success. Furthermore, we will support you in your efforts to fortify community policing, which offers the security atmosphere required to guarantee peace, advancement, and prosperity for Pakistani citizens.
