PESHAWAR, Sept 27: Frontier Constabulary requires Rs60 million to overcome its logistic problems and upgrade its communications network,  an official said on Friday.

During a briefing at the force’s headquarters, FC Inspector-General Israr Khan Shinwari informed Information and Media Development Minister Nisar A. Memon that the interior ministry had committed to improve logistic unit of the force and strengthen its communications network. But the ministry was yet to provide the required facilities, he said.

In the backdrop of the developments in the region after Sept 11, 2001, the government had decided to provide new vehicles and wireless system to enable the force to cope with the emerging law and order situation in the country, he said.

The minister, who holds charge of Kashmir and tribal affairs, was informed that purchase of vehicles had been banned since 1993, which affected the FC’s logistic network, although it had funds to overcome its shortcomings.

Mr Shinwari said the FC needed an additional Rs650 million to implement the government reforms agenda in the tribal areas. Under the proposed plan, 22,000 levy and Khasadar personnel in the tribal areas would be merged with the FC.

He said the FC had 367 platoons and it functioned as a preventive force.

He said 45 platoons of the FC were assisting the Sindh police, 80 platoons were deployed in the NWFP, 11 were guarding the border between Sindh and Balochistan, 10 were in Gilgit, 15 in Punjab and eight platoons had to maintain the force’s administration.

He said that on the directives of the NWFP government, the FC had deployed eight platoons in Kala Dhaka, Mansehra, to flush out  anti-social elements.

The minister visited Jarobi, a remote area in Khyber Agency. Officers of the Frontier Works Organization and army medical Corps briefed him about the development schemes in the area.

Nisar Memon also attended a briefing at corps headquarters here and 11th Corps Commander Lt-Gen Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai informed him that the government should release additional funds to complete the ongoing projects by June 2003.

The estimated cost of the projects, including 433km roads, 33 primary schools, 15 basic health  units and 19 water supply schemes is Rs332 million and so far Rs105 million has been released.