ISLAMABAD, May 14: The government has allocated Rs13.5 million for beefing up the investigation wing of the Islamabad police.

The allocation has been made for procurement of seven cars, 10 single-cabin pick-ups and 17 motorcycles.

At present, the capital police are illegally using a number of impounded vehicles to overcome the shortage of transport facility for police personnel.

The Rawalpindi police would also get its share from an amount of Rs1.5 billion allocated for procuring the vehicles of all categories for the four provinces, Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

The government, the sources added, had authorised the purchase of 349 luxury cars of up to 1300cc at a cost of Rs259 million for providing transport facility to the investigation wing of the police throughout the country.

For the Federal Investigation Agency, Rs63 million has been allocated for purchase of four luxury cars of 1300cc, 14 cars of 1000cc and other vehicles.

The project is part of the police reforms under which infrastructure facilities will be provided to the force for which Rs1.9 billion has been allocated in the PSDP 2001-2002.

The interior ministry, the sources said, proposed to spend Rs1.5 billion for procuring the vehicles for FIA, the provincial police authorities and the federal capital police.

The ministry, it is learnt, had proposed to purchase 349 luxury cars — 30 Toyota cars (2.0D) and 319 Suzuki Cultus by brand name — for the police investigation department.

On objection by the relevant project approval authorities for standardizing the vehicles instead of specific brand, the sources said, the interior secretary, Tasnim Noorani, defended the decision on the grounds that the proposed brands of Toyota and Suzuki were cheaper in operation and maintenance.

According to interior secretary, the decision was based on the recommendations of the Police Task Force.

Replying to a question about the purchase of the luxury cars for police investigation, the interior ministry spokesman, additional secretary Abdul Rashid Khan said, the vehicles would be given to officers-in-charge of investigations.

He said after the objections, raised by the competent authorities, it was decided that the vehicles would be bought through competitive bidding. However, he said, the principal purchase officer could issue propriety for particular vehicles.

The sources said the procurement of luxury vehicles of upto 1300cc was questionable considering the fact that such vehicles could not go in the rural areas where the road infrastructure was not well-developed. The vehicles were prone to misuse by families of the officers, the sources said adding, it would have been more prudent to give jeeps to the officers of police investigations.

According to the province-wise breakdown of the Rs1.5 billion allocation for vehicles procurement, Punjab would get Rs542 million, including Rs49 million for purchase of 99 Suzuki Cultus cars and Rs4.08 million for five Toyota (2.0D) cars.

Out of a total allocation of Rs199 million for NWFP, the sources said, Rs3.74 million were allocated for purchase of four Toyota cars and Rs31.50 for 63 Suzuki Cultus vehicles.

For Balochistan, Rs85 million has been allocated which includes authorization of five Toyota cars at a cost of Rs4.68 million and 33 Suzuki Cultus 1000cc cars.

Out of a total allocation of Rs263 million for Sindh, Rs2.81 million has been allocated for three Toyota cars and Rs30 million for purchase of 60 Suzuki Cultus.

For Azad Kashmir, the federal government has made an allocation of Rs44 million, including Rs2.8 million for three Toyota cars, Rs38 million for 61 Suzuki jeeps and Rs3.65 million for 50 motorcycles.

For Northern Areas, Rs37 million has been earmarked to buy one Toyota car, 53 Suzuki jeeps and 46 motorcycles.

Separate allocations have been made for the provincial city police investigation departments.

For the Karachi city police, Rs102 million has been earmarked, including Rs11 million for purchase of cars of upto 1300cc.

Out of a total allocation of Rs77 million for Lahore city police, Rs7 million has been earmarked for purchase of 13 cars of upto 1300cc.

For Peshawar, an amount of Rs23 million has been allocated which includes Rs4 million for cars of upto 1300cc.

For Quetta, Rs21 million has been allocated which includes provision of Rs4 million for buying cars of upto 1300cc.

According to the interior ministry, the quantity of vehicles was determined on the basis of staff positions proposed by the provincial governments.

In addition to the purchase of luxury cars, the police investigation department is to get 140 jeeps, 1310 single pick- ups, 2110 motorcycles and four buses.