Peshawar Safe City Project gets Rs1.5b

Police allocated Rs4b for operational/non-salary expenses.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar Safe City Project is expected to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs1.5 billion by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department.

The project, envisaged last year, will use state-of-the-art information technology, CCTV cameras, cellular and wireless technology, GPS, electronic maps and FM radios to safeguard the life and property of citizens.

Moreover, a traffic warden system for the provincial capital has been introduced with an estimated cost of Rs125 million.

The police department of the conflict-hit province has received a budget allocation of Rs28.53 billion from which Rs24.51 billion will cover salaries while the amount meant for operational expenses has been estimated at Rs4.01 billion.



Last year, Rs23.78 billion had been estimated but the revised budget for the police stood at Rs29.65 billion, showing an increase over the estimated allocation.

The government’s white paper justifies the increase in the police budget over annual increments, increase in salaries of regular police, special police force and ex-servicemen, and the creation of 1,835 posts during the 2013-14 financial year.

Around Rs500 million has been allocated for the construction of model police stations in the province and Rs150 million for improvements in investigation by setting up professional schools.

The white paper reiterates that special attention will be paid to capacity building and infrastructure enhancement of law enforcement agencies of the province by the home department.

The department is currently working on 55 projects worth Rs3.5 billion in which 34 are ongoing while 21 are new with an allocation of Rs614 million. The projects include a security crescent around Peshawar and a counter terrorism department headquarters in Nowshera. Similarly, six police lines are also being established across the province.

For jails and settlements of convicts, Rs1.3 billion has been estimated against the revised budget of Rs1.5 billion last year.

The provincial capital has been at the frontline in the fight against militants owing to its porous border with the restive tribal area of Khyber Agency. Policemen across the province continue to be targeted by militants regardless of the ongoing peace talks with various militant factions.

Moreover, scores of businessmen and traders have left the city after rising cases of kidnappings for ransom and extortion.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2014.