Kathmandu, May 10

The Armed Police Force today said that it had been sincerely carrying out responsibilities entrusted to it by the existing laws.

At a press meet organised at APF Headquarters, Deputy Inspector General Shailendra Khanal, who is also the spokespersons for the paramilitary force, noted that APF, in coordination with local administration and other security agencies, was performing its duties and responsibilities sincerely and professionally.

On the past bitterness with Nepal Police, he said, “Both the NP and APF have expressed their wish to strengthen ties and are committed to supporting each other to achieve our common goal of maintaining peace and security.

The recent joint security operation drills also show how the two security bodies are working together.”

DIG Khanal claimed that APF had also adopted ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ against corruption, gender violence and human rights violations.

According to statistics maintained by the APF, it initiated departmental action against 261 personnel in the past four months for financial and professional indiscipline, breaking the chain of command, negligence of duty and acting against the rules of the organisation.

The actions include dismissal from service, demotion and barring the personnel concerned from promotion.

“We have put in place the policy of reward and punishment to boost the morale of security personnel who are performing their duties honestly besides decreasing the interest rate to 6 pc from 8.5 pc for the loan to be provided to any employee from APF Welfare Fund,” he informed.

Meanwhile, the APF has deployed Immediate Response Team in more than 70 assorted locations of the country for emergency response to disaster and road accidents, security assistance and rescue round-the-clock. “The APF has rescued as many as 1,333 persons in the past four months,” he said.

At least 6,464 personnel have already participated in UN peacekeeping missions abroad, including in Sudan, Kosovo, Iraq, East Timor, Cyprus and Sierra Leone.

Similarly, nearly 900 APF personnel have undergone disaster relief and rescue training following the earthquake of April 25, 2015.