Plan to import Turkish 9mm pistols for police

KARACHI:

Plan is ready to replace the Kalashnikov with 9mm pistol as the issue weapon for policeman in Karachi.

In this regard, the home department seeks to purchase 7,000 Turkish 9mm pistols soon. The project will cost more than Rs620 million.

At the request of Sindh IG Mushtaq Mehar, the provincial cabinet has also waived the SPPRA rules.

Amal, a 10-year-old girl, was killed during a police encounter in Defence in 2019. Since the incident, the supply of small arms (various types of pistols) to Karachi police personnel was started exclusively in which instead of Kalashnikovs, only 9mm or other small arms should be given to policemen inside the city.

In this regard, plans have been made to purchase 7,000 9mm pistols this year. The plan was approved by the Home Department. After the approval, on request of the Sindh IGP, a file was sent to the Sindh cabinet for exemption of SPPRA rules. The Sindh cabinet has also given exemption to SPPRA rules.

Under the plan, 7,000 9mm pistols will be purchased from Turkey. The project will cost more than Rs62 crore in terms of import and other expenses. Thus, a pistol would cost about Rs89,000. Earlier, Karachi police had 15,000 9mm pistols.

This number will increase to 22,000 after purchasing another 7,000. At present, the Karachi police force is around 40,000 and there are plans to provide small arms to the entire police force in Karachi. It should be noted that the police in Karachi are mostly equipped with Kalashnikovs which need to be replaced with small arms as it is not only a need of the hour but also the dire need of the city.

Several citizens have died in crossfire between police and suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2022.