Rising inflation leads to higher costs for police uniforms

Shortlisted companies to compete for Rs1.2b contract

LAHORE:

The Punjab Police has allocated over Rs1.2 billion for the procurement of stitched and unstitched uniforms, cloth, jackets, and shoes during the current financial year.

The procurement includes 122,656 sets of stitched dark olive green uniforms, with a spending of over Rs527 million, 6,800 sets of stitched uniforms for the Special Protection Unit with badges, with a spending of Rs29 million, and 12,213 sets of stitched PHP uniforms, with a spending of Rs52 million.

At least six companies, namely Nishat Mills Ltd, Blue Start International Lahore, Wah Industries Limited Rawalpindi, Sarena Textile Industries Pvt Limited Lahore, Arshad Corporation Pvt Ltd Lahore, and Excel Tex Industries Pvt. Ltd Karachi, have been shortlisted to compete for the awarding of the contract.

Regarding cloth and unstitched uniforms, 37,000 metres of black uniform cloth will be procured, with a spending of Rs33 million, 29,812 metres of shirt cloth for traffic wardens will be procured, with a spending of Rs24 million, and trouser cloth for traffic wardens of over 22,359 metres will be procured, with a spending of Rs19 million.

Three companies, namely Nishat Mills Ltd Lahore, Blue Start International Lahore, and Sarena Textile Industries Pvt Limited Lahore, have been shortlisted.

Furthermore, the procurement includes Rs13 million for 1,950 units of winter jackets for CTD, Rs45 million for winter jackets for SPU (4,150 units), Rs15 million for 2,500 reflected winter jackets for traffic warden, Rs152 million for 22,443 winter jackets, Rs3.4 million for 500 winter jackets for PHP, and Rs10 million for 1,542 winter jackets for the elite unit.

At least six companies, including Blue Start International Lahore, Sarena Textile Industries Pvt Limited Lahore, Excel Tex Industries Pvt. Ltd Karachi, Nishat Mills Ltd Lahore, AH Corporation Lahore, and Usman Traders Lahore, have been shortlisted for this purpose.

Moreover, over Rs200 million will be spent on the procurement of over 27,800 pairs of boots for Punjab Constabulary, Anti-Riot Force, Traffic Wardens, Special Protection Unit, Dolphin Squad, and other units.

Three companies, including Bata Pakistan Ltd, Batapur Lahore, Service Industries Ltd Lahore, and Baraka Logistics Worldwide Lahore (JV) Firhaj Footwear Pvt. Ltd Lahore, have been shortlisted in this regard.

The inflation has also affected the rates of Police Uniform.

Like other items, its price has multiplied. In 2019, a stitched uniform would cost less than Rs1,900.

The rate has shot up to Rs4,300 per unit this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2023.