Bulletproof?: Flimsy helmets to protect the guardians of K-P

Police dept allegedly approves purchase of helmets which can be pierced by bullets.

PESHAWAR:

With the police already under National Accountability Bureau’s radar for misappropriation in a weapons deal circa 2008-2009, the department has gone ahead and approved the purchase of substandard helmets for the force.

The Express Tribune has learnt around 1,500 to 2,000 pieces of safety helmets for policemen will be bought from a Karachi-based company at a cost of Rs15,000 to Rs20,000.

[No]Quality control?

Requesting anonymity, an official of the police department told The Express Tribune on Saturday that a four-member committee inspected the quality of the samples and gave its approval even though the bullet of a 30-bore pistol cleanly pierced the helmet, exiting from the other side.

“The sample helmet was tested twice,” said the official. “First it was shot at from a 9mm pistol, the bullet of which could not penetrate the helmet, but a bullet fired from a 30 bore pistol went straight through, proving that the helmet was not up to the mark.”

According to him, both shots were fired from a distance of roughly 15 metres. Officials were present during the test; even so, they later gave a green signal to purchase the helmets after they saw the headgear fail one test, said the police official.

“At the frontline in the war against militancy, K-P’s police force should have the best equipment. This is nothing short of playing with the lives of our policemen,” he added.

From the insiders

A member of the inspection committee told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that several helmets were tested but not all were approved. He claimed the sample they approved was not pierced by a 9mm and 30 bore bullet, however, it cannot provide protection against a shot fired from an SMG.

“The more protective layers the helmet has, the more its weight,” added the inspection committee member. “I do not think policemen will be able to wear a heavy helmet for long periods,” he said.

However, another member of the inspection team had reservations about the gear. SSP Operations Najeebur Rehman said helmets made by various companies were tested and rejected for being ineffective or not bullet-proof. He added he forwarded his observations about the samples which were approved for purchase to the police department.

“They were armoured helmets weighing around 1.45kg. But after a 30 bore bullet pierced the sample, I forwarded my reservations,” said Rehman. He confirmed the approved sample also failed against SMG bullets.

Already under investigation

Several senior former and serving police officials have already been named by NAB K-P in a weapons purchase scam. According to a corruption reference filed by the bureau in an accountability court, weapons and other equipment worth Rs7 billion were purchased for the police department during the tenure of former IGP Malik Naveed in 2008-2009.

The NAB maintains has accused former IGP Naveed, former additional IGP and now Frontier Constabulary Commandant Abdul Majeed Khan, former additional IGP operations Abdul Latif Khan and Central Police Office DIG Sajid Ali Khan in the Rs7 billion weapons scam.

Moreover, former headquarters DIG Muhammad Suleman Khan, the then AIG establishment Khashil Alam, former telecommunications DIG Sadiq Kamal Orakzai are also accused of being involved along with former chief minister Amir Haider Hoti’s brother Amir Ghazan, his relative Raza Ali Khan and budget officer Javed Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2014.