For better policing: Funds check. Permission check. APCs nowhere in sight
It has been two months since the city police chief’s announcement about acquisition of armoured vehicles.
"We immediately released the funds to the department. It is now up to the department to procure the vehicles," Special assistant to chief minister, Waqar Mehdi. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
The search for the perfect armoured vehicles for the Karachi Police moves on at a snail’s pace as the department has yet to issue a tender for the vehicles.
According to official statistics, 166 police personnel were killed in 2013, while 45 others lost their lives during the first three months of the current year. Most of these personnel lost their lives in attacks on police vehicles while on patrol duty. This unprecedented number of killings of law enforcement personnel had seemingly jolted the authorities into action and the provincial government had decided to ensure better security measures to avert more casualties.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, in a meeting on the law and order situation in Karachi in January, had announced to acquire 300 armoured vehicles, bulletproof vans, and bulletproof jackets to ensure safety of policemen in Karachi. The city’s police chief, AIG Shahid Hayat, had also claimed in the meeting that, “20 armoured vehicles will be supplied to the police force in the next week.” The decision and the promises have, however, not seen a practical form even after the lapse of two months. The Sindh government, on other hand, claims that they have already handed over the promised funds to the police. “Keeping in mind the urgency of the issue, we immediately released the funds to the department. It is now up to the department to procure the vehicles,” said the special assistant to CM, Waqar Mehdi, while speaking to The Express Tribune. “The government has even relaxed the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) for the police.”
According to sources, one of the major reasons for the delay were people involved in the procurement process who were looking for their commissions. If the vehicles are bought from local manufacturers, the officers will have a better chance to make money under the table.
“We have decided to buy at least 60 APCs of the B-7 plus protection level, 100 four-wheeler vehicles of the B-7 plus protection level, four GSM locaters and approximately 5,000 bulletproof jackets and helmets,” said the Finance DIG Captain (Retd) Tahir Naveed, while speaking to The Express Tribune. According to Naveed, the 100 Land Cruiser-type vehicles with 400 horse power engines will be later modified onto B7 protection level.
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Toyota and other international vehicle manufacturers can modify the vehicles onto B7 level of protection. Along with the HIT, the police department is also looking at the Serbian Lazar armoured vehicles for the project.
Sources in the defence industry claimed that they could provide better services to the police in shorter time and at lower costs as compared to the Serbian Lazar. “We will provide the same level of protection and functionality like the Serbian Lazar at up to 15% lesser cost and even shorter delivery time. Moreover, we can also provide regular maintenance of the vehicles if the police department gives us the contract,” said an official, seeking anonymity.
Junior officers woes
The lower-ranking personnel, on the other hand, lamented that they would not be able to avail the vehicles as they will be given to the higher-ranking officials. “We will stay in the same old fashioned police mobiles, which are vulnerable to even a TT pistol’s bullets. The project is for the officers only,” said a police constable.
DIG Naveed, however, refuted the claims that the armoured vehicles will serve only the officers. He was of the opinion that the vehicles would bring a drastic change in policing tactics. “The modified armoured vehicles will replace the old police mobiles for snap-checking on the roads while the APCs will be stationed at highly-sensitive areas.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2014.
The search for the perfect armoured vehicles for the Karachi Police moves on at a snail’s pace as the department has yet to issue a tender for the vehicles.
According to official statistics, 166 police personnel were killed in 2013, while 45 others lost their lives during the first three months of the current year. Most of these personnel lost their lives in attacks on police vehicles while on patrol duty. This unprecedented number of killings of law enforcement personnel had seemingly jolted the authorities into action and the provincial government had decided to ensure better security measures to avert more casualties.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, in a meeting on the law and order situation in Karachi in January, had announced to acquire 300 armoured vehicles, bulletproof vans, and bulletproof jackets to ensure safety of policemen in Karachi. The city’s police chief, AIG Shahid Hayat, had also claimed in the meeting that, “20 armoured vehicles will be supplied to the police force in the next week.” The decision and the promises have, however, not seen a practical form even after the lapse of two months. The Sindh government, on other hand, claims that they have already handed over the promised funds to the police. “Keeping in mind the urgency of the issue, we immediately released the funds to the department. It is now up to the department to procure the vehicles,” said the special assistant to CM, Waqar Mehdi, while speaking to The Express Tribune. “The government has even relaxed the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) for the police.”
According to sources, one of the major reasons for the delay were people involved in the procurement process who were looking for their commissions. If the vehicles are bought from local manufacturers, the officers will have a better chance to make money under the table.
“We have decided to buy at least 60 APCs of the B-7 plus protection level, 100 four-wheeler vehicles of the B-7 plus protection level, four GSM locaters and approximately 5,000 bulletproof jackets and helmets,” said the Finance DIG Captain (Retd) Tahir Naveed, while speaking to The Express Tribune. According to Naveed, the 100 Land Cruiser-type vehicles with 400 horse power engines will be later modified onto B7 protection level.
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Toyota and other international vehicle manufacturers can modify the vehicles onto B7 level of protection. Along with the HIT, the police department is also looking at the Serbian Lazar armoured vehicles for the project.
Sources in the defence industry claimed that they could provide better services to the police in shorter time and at lower costs as compared to the Serbian Lazar. “We will provide the same level of protection and functionality like the Serbian Lazar at up to 15% lesser cost and even shorter delivery time. Moreover, we can also provide regular maintenance of the vehicles if the police department gives us the contract,” said an official, seeking anonymity.
Junior officers woes
The lower-ranking personnel, on the other hand, lamented that they would not be able to avail the vehicles as they will be given to the higher-ranking officials. “We will stay in the same old fashioned police mobiles, which are vulnerable to even a TT pistol’s bullets. The project is for the officers only,” said a police constable.
DIG Naveed, however, refuted the claims that the armoured vehicles will serve only the officers. He was of the opinion that the vehicles would bring a drastic change in policing tactics. “The modified armoured vehicles will replace the old police mobiles for snap-checking on the roads while the APCs will be stationed at highly-sensitive areas.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2014.