Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has formally enforced the Rules and Regulations 2026 for its Special Combat Unit (SCU), a newly established elite strike force tasked exclusively with conducting intelligence-based operations against terrorists and addressing high-risk security threats across the province.
The decision was approved during a high-level meeting of the Police Policy Board chaired by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zulfiqar Hameed. The board formally endorsed Standing Order 6-2026, paving the way for the operationalization of the Special Combat Unit under a comprehensive regulatory framework.
According to the approved standing order, the SCU will function as a specialized strike force and will remain exempt from routine policing duties, including VIP security, road checkpoints, and polio vaccination security assignments. Instead, its personnel will be dedicated solely to targeted intelligence-led counterterrorism operations.
Officials said only 400 personnel from the Elite Police Force will be selected for the unit after undergoing rigorous medical, psychological, and physical endurance assessments. The force will be commanded by an officer of SP rank and will operate under the direct supervision of the Additional Inspector General of Elite Police.
Under its operational model, designed in line with international standards, the unit will be organized into companies of 45 personnel each. These companies will be deployed for 90-day operational tours in the province’s most sensitive and high-risk regions. During deployments, local District Police Officers (DPOs) or Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) commanders will coordinate and lead operations alongside the unit.
Following every 90-day frontline deployment, personnel will undergo a mandatory 30-day training and refresher period at the Elite Police Training Centre in Nowshera. The training is aimed at enhancing combat capabilities while allowing personnel to share field experiences with new trainees.
The Special Combat Unit’s training programme consists of a demanding 20-week (five-month) commando course. The first month focuses on physical conditioning, including running, push-ups, and long-distance marches. During the second month, personnel undergo weight training and obstacle-course exercises designed to improve endurance and fitness.
The third phase includes close-quarters battle drills, advanced marksmanship, and hand-to-hand combat techniques. In the fourth month, trainees receive instruction in sniper operations and breaching techniques, including the use of explosives for forced entry.
The final phase of the course focuses on modern warfare skills, including drone technology, wireless communications, and simulated covert infiltration missions conducted under the cover of darkness.
Police officials said only personnel who successfully complete the entire training programme will qualify for induction into the unit.
Speaking on the occasion, IGP Zulfiqar Hameed described the enforcement of the Special Combat Unit regulations as a landmark development in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police.
He said the initiative would significantly enhance the force’s ability to conduct effective operations against militants and other threats to public security. The police chief added that the department was equipping its personnel not only with conventional weapons but also with modern capabilities, including drone-related expertise, sniper skills, and close-combat techniques.
“The elimination of all forms of terrorism from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the protection of the lives and property of citizens remain our top priorities,” the IGP said.
The move comes as security forces and law enforcement agencies continue efforts to counter militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one of Pakistan’s most terrorism-affected regions, where intelligence-based operations have intensified in recent years.
