Sindh govt sets aside Rs113b for law and order

Lion's share earmarked for police, at Rs102 billion

KARACHI: For the upcoming fiscal year, the Sindh government has increased the budget for law and order to Rs113.87 billion, which amounts to 12 per cent of the total current revenue expenditure.

According to the budget documents, Rs109.79 billion was set aside for the home department, police, jails, Rangers and other security agencies in current financial year.

From the new budget, Rs102.16 billion have been set aside for the police, while Rs7.23 billion have been allocated for internal administration and Rs4.48 billion earmarked for prisons in the province.

The budget also proposes to set aside Rs99 million for the establishment of the provincial secretariat for the Sindh Public Safety and Police Complaints Commission in order to improve the image of the police force and to empower citizens against bad policing.

Meanwhile, Rs100 million have been allocated for DNA testing facilities, to enable the adoption of modern forensic techniques in disasters and criminal investigations, including those pertaining to terrorist activities and rape cases.

Model police stations are also to be established in Clifton, Liaquatabad and Ferozabad for Rs361.2 million, while the existing police fleet is to be upgraded for Rs2 billion in order to enhance police patrolling and prevent crime.

Moreover, funds worth Rs75.21 million have been earmarked for the improvement of traffic police operations. The traffic police headquarters in Karachi will be improved for Rs7.5 million, while the same amount has been allocated for the driving license branch in Saudabad.

The proposal for the establishment of a school of finance to train and build capacity in financial affairs for budget and accounts staff in the police department is also included in the budget document for the next financial year. The Sindh Judicial Academy is also to gear up training of officers to the tune of Rs40 million.

Furthermore, funds have been allocated for the upgradation of Mirpurkhas district jail to a central jail, and Rs30.1 million have been earmarked to provide legal aid to those who cannot afford it through the Legal Aid Society.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2020.