US funds: IG Punjab pays no heed to Shahbaz’s policy decision
Says he would accept financial assistance if made available.
LAHORE:
Despite tall claims made recently by the Punjab government about not living out of a “begging bowl”, in terms of accepting US funding, to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty, the inspector general (IG) of police is all geared up to accept any such aid if made available, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The IG expressed this after the federal government made him an offer under the law enforcement reforms and capacity building of the police department scheme, funded by the US administration, a source revealed, requesting anonymity.
In this regard, the source adds, a letter of agreement (LoA) signed between the governments of Pakistan and the US clearly states that the donor country would provide funds worth $110 million to Pakistan for the execution of the project in all provinces.
Of the total funds available, the federal government’s economic affairs division proposed a sum of $6 million for capacity building of the Punjab police as a component of the “federal” project.
Directing the IG to bear in mind the policy stance Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken regarding US funds, the planning and development department invited comments from the Punjab home secretary and the IG, with a utility plan, for opting to get a share in the finances in question.
The funds being allocated to the Punjab police under various schemes were embarrassingly small compared to funds being allocated to other provincial police organisations, the IG submitted in his reply.
Unless the economic affairs division agrees to revisit the distribution, the Punjab police would not recommend that the provincial government accept such a scheme.
The IG remained reluctant to bring up the Punjab chief minster’s good-bye policy to US funds because the police department is hoping for colossal quantities of the funds, if available. The IG’s viewpoint is a clear contradiction of the Punjab government’s policy decision, a senior police official said, requesting to remain anonymous.
“This is completely absurd. The Punjab police do not need a single penny,” Public Relations Director Nabeela Ghazanfar said.
These funds would prove useful but the Punjab government has dismissed the begging bowl concept as a policy decision, hence, now there is no justification for obtaining such funds, a senior Punjab government official said, while requesting anonymity.
In May, the government of Punjab refused to accept grants and funds from the US after the Osama bin Laden fiasco. The decision was taken in order to deter the US from using its financial assistance as a negotiation tool on various important issues to impose conditions for fulfilling its designs, the official added. Under the policy, the Punjab government turned down USAID funds worth $223 million for two projects meant for uplifting the southern part of the province.
The Punjab government decided it would take loans and grants from countries like China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia among others, which did not attach conditions with the financial assistance, as well as from donor agencies such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank, JICA, International Funds for Agriculture Development and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2011.
Despite tall claims made recently by the Punjab government about not living out of a “begging bowl”, in terms of accepting US funding, to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty, the inspector general (IG) of police is all geared up to accept any such aid if made available, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The IG expressed this after the federal government made him an offer under the law enforcement reforms and capacity building of the police department scheme, funded by the US administration, a source revealed, requesting anonymity.
In this regard, the source adds, a letter of agreement (LoA) signed between the governments of Pakistan and the US clearly states that the donor country would provide funds worth $110 million to Pakistan for the execution of the project in all provinces.
Of the total funds available, the federal government’s economic affairs division proposed a sum of $6 million for capacity building of the Punjab police as a component of the “federal” project.
Directing the IG to bear in mind the policy stance Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken regarding US funds, the planning and development department invited comments from the Punjab home secretary and the IG, with a utility plan, for opting to get a share in the finances in question.
The funds being allocated to the Punjab police under various schemes were embarrassingly small compared to funds being allocated to other provincial police organisations, the IG submitted in his reply.
Unless the economic affairs division agrees to revisit the distribution, the Punjab police would not recommend that the provincial government accept such a scheme.
The IG remained reluctant to bring up the Punjab chief minster’s good-bye policy to US funds because the police department is hoping for colossal quantities of the funds, if available. The IG’s viewpoint is a clear contradiction of the Punjab government’s policy decision, a senior police official said, requesting to remain anonymous.
“This is completely absurd. The Punjab police do not need a single penny,” Public Relations Director Nabeela Ghazanfar said.
These funds would prove useful but the Punjab government has dismissed the begging bowl concept as a policy decision, hence, now there is no justification for obtaining such funds, a senior Punjab government official said, while requesting anonymity.
In May, the government of Punjab refused to accept grants and funds from the US after the Osama bin Laden fiasco. The decision was taken in order to deter the US from using its financial assistance as a negotiation tool on various important issues to impose conditions for fulfilling its designs, the official added. Under the policy, the Punjab government turned down USAID funds worth $223 million for two projects meant for uplifting the southern part of the province.
The Punjab government decided it would take loans and grants from countries like China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia among others, which did not attach conditions with the financial assistance, as well as from donor agencies such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank, JICA, International Funds for Agriculture Development and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2011.