KARACHI, March 31: The first tranche of 15 heavy duty Toyota Hilux vehicles was handed over to Sindh Police at a ceremony held at the Governor’s House here on Thursday. Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Senator Babar Khan Ghouri had announced a donation of 65 vehicles to police by various departments under his ministry.

Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Vice-Admiral Tauqir Naqvi presented keys of the vehicles to Sindh Police chief Asad Jehangir after the two side signed a protocol in this regard.

Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Senator Babar Ghouri were also present at the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, the governor announced that the vehicles would be used only for crime control purposes and none of them would be deployed on VIP duty.

He appreciated the positive and important initiative taken by Mr Ghouri and his team and said that the vehicles would help Sindh police further improve its performance.

“Police are subjected to criticism, uncalled for in most cases, by those who do not realise the problems the force is faced with, particularly in relation to controlling law and order and crime in a city which is expanding in all directions with its population touching the mark of 15 million.”

After the 9/11 episode, police had been in focus, the governor said, and said they deserved tribute for their role in the war against terrorism.

He pointed out that Sindh Police detected 25 out of 28 cases of terrorism and brought the terrorists to book despite having inadequate resources which amply spoke about their performance.

In a city having a 10,000-km road network, 2,225 mosques, 867 imambargahs, as well as more than 100 diplomatic missions and as many foreign investor’s companies, one could realize how strenuous was the task of controlling law and order and ensuring good performance.

In this context, he recalled the role of police in ensuring peace during one-day and test matches in Karachi, and remarked that it was their performance that had restored the city’s image on international level.

“The government fully realises that a stronger Karachi is a must for a stronger Pakistan,” he remarked.

He said that improvement in economy and law and order was giving rise to public-private partnership and the government was trying to maintain the same. In this regard, he referred to a number of mega projects being executed in Karachi, and said many of them pertained to the ministry of ports and shipping.

He observed that for the first time in the city’s history, the federal government departments were playing their role towards development of this city.

The governor noted that police had contributed to raising people’s morale who had now started looking towards police for help.

“Now when the police are being extended full support, it is their responsibility to discharge their duties with honesty and a sense of dutifulness.”

Dr Ibad recalled the days when police personnel had to perform their duties for 36 hours at a stretch. People should realize the circumstances under which they had to work in order to ensure safety and security of citizens and protection to their property, he added.

He said provision of facilities to police force would bring about a change in their professional services. He observed that with the morale of police force getting high, crime rate had come down.

Earlier, Babar Khan Ghouri addressed the ceremony and remarked that it had become our culture to criticize police for every wrong because the force had a direct nexus with people.