Surveillance drones, M16 intelligence officers and special forces liaison officers have all been drafted in to find the officer named as Gulbuddin.

Satellite imagery and reconnaissance aircraft such as the new Astor Sentinel will also be used to track movements from the Nad-e-Ali area.

“We are gathering intelligence and interrogating that intelligence,” said the source. While it was too early to say precisely what role special forces will undertake it is understood that the SAS or SBS will be put on standby to snatch the policeman if his location becomes known.