ISLAMABAD(National times)- Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the National Police Academy (NPA) and addressed the 52nd Commons Batch of Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), announcing a comprehensive overhaul of the institution, aligning it with the standards of the Pakistan Military Academy. During his visit, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the ‘Raising the Standard: NPA Tactical Firing Range and Elite Police Training Facility’, a state-of-the-art complex designed to provide hands-on tactical training to police officers. He also performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the new ASP Hostel, aimed at providing modern residential facilities for trainee officers. The Prime Minister outlined a bold vision for the Academy’s revival, announcing the launch of a Master’s Degree Program for trainees and the establishment of a 25-acre state-of-the-art campus. A new elite training school, complete with a modern firing range, will also be built. Collaboration with international partners, including China and the United Nations, is planned to upgrade training standards. “We aim to equip our officers not only with weapons but also with modern technology and critical thinking. From hostels to classrooms, the entire structure will be refurbished,” said the Prime Minister. He also announced training exchanges and pledged that foreign trainees would once again be welcomed. Reflecting on his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab, PM Shehbaz highlighted his contributions to national security, including the establishment of the Elite Force, the Safe City Project, Punjab Forensic Science Agency, and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). “Merit has always been the cornerstone of my administration. I suspended senior officers for bypassing recruitment protocols, such is the importance of integrity,” he added. He paid tribute to martyred officers, including those who lost their lives in flood relief efforts and recent incidents such as the Jhelum martyrdom, emphasizing the sacrifices made by the police for national security. “These officers embrace martyrdom to protect millions. Their sacrifice is the highest honor,” the PM said. The PM praised the leadership of police institutions, including trainers and course commanders, and encouraged enhancement of the Gilgit-Baltistan quota. He assured full federal support, directing the Interior Minister to fast-track reforms. Concluding his address, PM Shehbaz called the young officers “the proud sons and daughters of the motherland,” urging them to uphold justice and protect the lives and property of the people. “This Academy must become the cornerstone of a civilized society,” he said. Earlier, welcoming the Prime Minister, Interior Minister Senator Mohsin Raza Naqvi delivered opening remarks, acknowledging the Academy’s previous state of disrepair, where it functioned with no staff and a single dumping station passed off as the facility. “It was a skeleton of what it should be,” said Senator Naqvi, “but under the vision of the Prime Minister, we are determined to rebuild it into a premier institution.” Interior Minister Naqvi reiterated the government’s commitment to monitoring the Academy closely and ensuring that trainees receive the highest standard of instruction. “We want to make this a hub for police excellence from academics to field readiness.” Ministers Talal Chaudhary and Attaullah Tarar, Commandant NPA Idress Ahmed, IG Islamabad, Commissioner Islamabad, and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.