By Purushottam P. Khatri
Kathmandu, Nov. 19: Armed Police Force (APF) Headquarters is all set to establish four Border Outposts (BOPs) of permanent nature in the northern border points of the country within the current fiscal year.
“Preparations to establish BOPs are going on speedily targeting the northern border points after the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance gave a nod to this,” Deputy Inspector General and spokesperson Suraj Kumar Shrestha said.
The APF has prepared to set up new BOPS at Kimathanka of Sankhuwasabha, Lo Manthan of Mustang, Hilsa of Humla and Chhangru in Darchula districts.
“Preparations have already begun, and we are seeking required logistics and infrastructural support from the government although the government had given mandate to establish BOPS in the northern belt, including Darchula,” DIG Shrestha told The Rising Nepal on Tuesday.
It is the duty of all security bodies, including the APF, to reach any tough geographical terrain and perform duty at any situation and condition after the government ordered to do so, he said.
“What we need is the preparation and management of all required logistics, including the communication set to run the BOPs for 12 months,” DIG Shrestha said.
The APF and other security bodies of the country had no single BOP in the northern border except in the southern Terai region of the country.
The APF, being a semi paramilitary body of the country, was mandated to protect and set up border offices as per the government’s decision.
The APF as of today has 107 BOPs, all in the Terai districts. The number of BOPs before the last fiscal year was just 87, according to Shrestha.
By its name, the BOP will mainly look into the management and protection of our borders and their observation for 24 hours, he said.
“At a time when we don’t have our BOPs even up to Darchula, the possibility of setting up BOPs in Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura would be of a far seen dream, but if the government orders, we can do it,” Shrestha said.
As per the new provision from the current fiscal year, the decision to establish BOPs would not require to have cabinet nod to establish BOPs in respective district as the decision could now be taken by the meeting of the District Security Coordination Committee.
“We can also establish BOPS in Tinker area of Limpiyadhura region which is a tri-junction of Nepal, India and China; and at present, we are conducting our feasibility study for its possibility there,” he said.
Former AIG of Nepal Police Bigyan Raj Sharma said that it was up to the government decision about what type of security and barracks should be developed in the northern border after the issue of map row between Nepal and India ensued.
The government should immediately take the decision as to which security bodies, among Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, should be deployed in the north for border management, he said.
The government should also do homework about their safety and for the management of all required logistics to run the office for 12 months despite any critical weather situation, Sharma said.
At present, the APF has been deployed in border protection task in 21 districts in the Terai region with 20 battalion offices and one company office in eastern Nawalparasi district.
The strength of one battalion in the APF has now upgraded up to 621 forces after the Border Security Offices of APF manpower was merged into the Battalions.
That means there are over 13,000 manpower of APF stationed in the Terai region of the country alone.
Speaking at the meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the Federal Parliament, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal last Monday had briefed that the manpower in the APF was insufficient for the mobilisation in the border management and protection tasks.